Preface
This is the first release copy of this harmony. It may need a few more corrections and
refinements before it is truly finished. Please look it over and note any errors or suggestions you have. I know that there were errors in the actual texts of the standards (they
were probably computer scanned). I had to manually type in the Bible Presbyterian
changes so they could also have errors. I have corrected those problems I have found but
am counting on others to help locate additional errors. Also note any problems or suggestions concerning the harmonization. If you have suggestions on improving the format
please note them as well.
I am also interested in putting a topical index together but I have not the time at present. If you have ideas on how to do this please write them down. (That is which topics
and statements / questions go together.)
In Christ

WLC 1 What is the chief and
highest end of man?
A. Man's Chief and highest end is
to glorify God,1 and fully to enjoy him forever.2

WSC 1 What is the chief end of
man?
A. Man's chief end is to glorify
God1 and to enjoy him forever.2

1

Rom. 11:36; 1 Cor. 10:31
2
Ps 73:24-28; John 17:21-23

WCF 1.1 Although the light of
nature, and the works of creation
and providence do so far manifest
the goodness, wisdom, and power
of God, as to leave men unexcusable;1 yet are they not sufficient
to give that knowledge of God,
and of His will, which is necessary unto salvation:2 therefore it
pleased the Lord, at sundry times,
and in divers manners, to reveal
Himself, and to declare that His
will unto His Church;3 and afterwards, for the better preserving
and propagating of the truth, and
for the more sure establishment
and comfort of the Church
against the corruption of the
flesh, and the malice of Satan and
of the world, to commit the same
wholly unto writing;4 which
maketh the Holy Scripture to be
most necessary;5 those former
ways of God's revealing His will
unto His people being now
ceased.6

1
2

1 Cor. 10:31; Rom. 11:36
Ps. 73:25-28

WLC 2 How doth it appear that
there is a God?
A. The very light of nature in
man, and the works of God, declare plainly that there is a God;1
but his word and Spirit only, do
sufficiently and effectually reveal
him unto men for their salvation.2
1
2

Holy Scripture, or the Word of
God written, are now contained
all the books of the Old and New
Testament, which are these:
Of the Old Testament:

God?
A. The Holy scriptures of the Old
and New Testament are the word
of God,1 the only rule of faith and
obedience.2

given to direct us how we may
glorify and enjoy him?
A. The word of God, which is
contained in the scriptures of the
Old and New Testaments,1 is the
only rule to direct us how we may
glorify and enjoy him.2

Of the New Testament:
The Gospels according to Matthew, Mark,
Luke, and John, The Acts of the Apostles,
Paul's Epistles to the Romans, Corinthians
I, Corinthians II, Galatians, Ephesians,
Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians I,
Thessalonians II, To Timothy I, To Timothy II, To Titus, To Philemon, The Epistle
to the Hebrews, The Epistle of James, The
first and second Epistles of Peter, The
first, second, and third Epistles of John,
The Epistle of Jude, The Revelation All

which are given by inspiration of
God to be the rule of faith and
life.1
1

Luke 16:29, 31; Eph. 2:20; Rev. 22:18,
19; 2 Tim. 3:16.

WCF 1.3 The books commonly
called Apocrypha, not being of
divine inspiration, are no part of
the canon of the Scripture; and
therefore are of no authority in
the Church of God, nor to be any
otherwise approved, or made use
of, than other human writings.1
1

Luke 24:27, 44; Rom. 3:2; 2 Pet. 1:21.

WCF 1.4 The authority of the
Holy Scripture, for which it ought
to be believed, and obeyed, dependeth not upon the testimony
of any man, or Church; but
wholly upon God (who is truth itself) the author thereof: and
therefore it is to be received, because it is the Word of God.1
1

2 Pet. 1:19, 21; 2 Tim. 3:16; 1 John 5:9; 1
Thess. 2:13.

WCF 1.5 We may be moved and
induced by the testimony of the
Church to an high and reverent

WLC 4 How doth it appear that
the Scriptures are the word of
God?

1
2

2 Tim. 3:16; Eph. 2:20
1 John 1:3, 4

Harmony of the Westminster Standards

Confession of Faith

Larger Catechism

esteem of the Holy Scripture,1
and the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine,
the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of
the whole, (which is to give all
glory to God), the full discovery
it makes of the only way of man's
salvation, the many other incomparable excellencies, and the entire perfection thereof, are arguments whereby it doth abundantly
evidence itself to be the Word of
God; yet, notwithstanding, our
full persuasion and assurance of
the infallible truth, and divine authority thereof, is from the inward
work of the Holy Spirit, bearing
witness by and with the word in
our hearts.2

A. The Scriptures manifest themselves to be the word of God, by
their majesty1 and purity2; by the
consent of all the parts3, and the
scope of the whole, which is to
give all glory to God4; by their
light and power to convince and
convert sinners, to comfort and
build up believers unto salvation.5
But the Spirit of God, bearing
witness by and with the Scriptures in the heart of man, is alone
able fully to persuade it that they
are the very word of God.6

WCF 1.6 The whole counsel of
God, concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man's
salvation, faith and life, is either
expressly set down in Scripture,
or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from
Scripture: unto which nothing at
any time is to be added, whether
by new revelations of the Spirit,
or traditions of men.1 Nevertheless, we acknowledge the inward
illumination of the Spirit of God
to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are
revealed in the word;2 and that
there are some circumstances
concerning the worship of God,
and government of the Church,
common to human actions and
societies, which are to be ordered
by the light of nature, and Christian prudence, according to the
general rules of the word, which
are always to be observed.3
1

Confession of Faith
are not alike plain in themselves,
nor alike clear unto all;1 yet those
things which are necessary to be
known, believed, and observed
for salvation, are so clearly propounded, and opened in some
place of Scripture or other, that
not only the learned, but the
unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary means, may attain unto a
sufficient understanding of them.2
1
2

2 Pet. 3:16.
Ps. 119:105, 130.

WCF 1.8 The Old Testament in
Hebrew (which was the native
language of the people of God of
old), and the New Testament in
Greek (which, at the time of the
writing of it was most generally
known to the nations), being immediately inspired by God, and,
by His singular care and providence, kept pure in all ages, are
therefore authentical;1 so as, in all
controversies of religion, the
Church is finally to appeal unto
them.2 But, because these original
tongues are not known to all the
people of God, who have right
unto and interest in the Scriptures, and are commanded, in the
fear of God, to read and search
them,3 therefore they are to be
translated into the vulgar language of every nation unto which
they come,4 that the Word of God
dwelling plentifully in all, they
may worship Him in an acceptable manner;5 and, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, may have hope.6
1

WCF 1.9 The infallible rule of
interpretation of Scripture is the
Scripture itself: and therefore,
when there is a question about the
true and full sense of any Scripture (which is not manifold, but

Larger Catechism

Shorter Catechism

Harmony of the Westminster Standards

Confession of Faith

5

Larger Catechism

Shorter Catechism

WLC 5 What do the Scriptures
principally teach?
A. The Scriptures principally
teach, what man is to believe
concerning God, and what duty
God requires of man.1

WSC 3 What do the Scriptures
principally teach?
A. The Scriptures principally
teach, what man is to believe
concerning God, and what duty
God requires of man.1

one), it must be searched and
known by other places that speak
more clearly.1
1

2 Pet. 1:20, 21; Acts 15:15, 16.

WCF 1.10 The supreme Judge,
by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and
all decrees of councils, opinions
of ancient writers, doctrines of
men, and private spirits, are to be
examined, and in whose sentence
we are to rest, can be no other but
the Holy Spirit speaking in the
Scripture.1
1

Matt. 22:29, 31; Eph. 2:20; Acts 28:25.

1

2 Tim. 1:13

WLC 6 What do the scriptures
make known of God?
A. The scriptures make known
what God is,1 the persons of the
Godhead,2 his decrees,3 and the
execution of his decrees.4
1

WCF 2.1 There is but one only
living and true God,2 who is infinite in being and perfection,3 a
most pure spirit,4 invisible,5 without body, parts,6 or passions;7
immutable,8 immense,9 eternal,10
incomprehensible,11 almighty,12
most wise,13 most holy,14 most
free,15 most absolute,16 working
all things according to the counsel of His own immutable and
most righteous will,17 for His
own glory;18 most loving,19 gracious, merciful, long-suffering,
abundant in goodness and truth,
forgiving iniquity, transgression,
and sin,20 the rewarder of them
that diligently seek Him;21 and
withal, most just, and terrible in
His judgments;22 hating all sin,23
and who will by no means clear
the guilty.24
1

WLC 7 What is God?
A. God is a Spirit,1 in and of himself infinite in being,2 glory,3
blessedness,4 and perfection;5 allsufficient,6 eternal,7 unchangeable,8 incomprehensible,9 every
where present,10 almighty,11
knowing all things,12 most wise,13
most holy,14 most just,15 most
merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.16

WSC 4 What is God?
A. God is a Spirit,1 infinite,2 eternal,3 and unchangeable,4 in his
being,5 wisdom,6 power,7 holiness,8 justice, goodness, and
truth.9
1

WLC 9 How many persons are
there in the Godhead?
A. There be three persons in the
Godhead, the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Ghost; and these three
are one true, eternal God, the
same in substance, equal in
power and glory; although distinguished by their personal properties.1

WSC 6 How many persons are
there in the Godhead?
A. There are three persons in the
Godhead; the Father, the Son,
and the Holy Ghost; and these
three are one God, the same in
substance, equal in power and
glory.1

22

Neh. 9:32, 33.
23
Ps. 5:5, 6.
24
Nah. 1:2, 3; Exod. 34:7.

WCF 2.2 God hath all life,1
glory,2 goodness,3 blessedness,4
in and of Himself; and is alone in
and unto Himself all-sufficient,
not standing in need of any creatures which He hath made,5 not
deriving any glory from them,6
but only manifesting His own
glory in, by, unto, and upon
them: He is the alone fountain of
all being, of whom, through
whom, and to whom are all
things,7 and hath most sovereign
dominion over them, to do by
them, for them, or upon them
whatsoever Himself pleaseth.8 In
His sight all things are open and
manifest;9 His knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent
upon the creature,10 so as nothing
is to Him contingent, or uncertain.11 He is most holy in all His
counsels, in all His works, and in
all His commands.12 To Him is
due from angels and men, and
every other creature, whatsoever
worship, service, or obedience He
is pleased to require of them.13
1

WCF 2.3 In the unity of the
Godhead there be three persons,
of one substance, power, and
eternity; God the Father, God the
Son, and God the Holy Ghost.1
The Father is of none, neither begotten, nor proceeding; the Son is
eternally begotten of the Father;2
the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son.3
1

WLC 10 What are the personal
properties of the three persons in
the Godhead?
A. It is proper to the Father to
beget the Son,1 and to the Son to
be begotten of the Father,2 and to
the Holy Ghost to proceed from
the Father and the Son from all
eternity.3
1
2
3

Heb. 1:5, 6, 8
John 1:14, 18
John 15:26; Gal. 4:6

WLC 11 How doth it appear that
the Son and the Holy Ghost are
God equal with the Father?
A. The scriptures manifest that
the Son and the Holy Ghost are
God equal with the Father, ascribing unto them such names,1
attributes,2 works,3 and worship,4
as are proper to God only.
1

WCF 3.1 God, from all eternity,
did, by the most wise and holy
counsel of His own will freely,
and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass:1 yet so, as
thereby neither is God the author
of sin,2 nor is violence offered to
the will of the creatures; nor is
the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather
established.3

WLC 12 What are the decrees of
God?
A. God's decrees are the wise,
free, and holy acts of the counsel
of his will,1 whereby, from all
eternity, he hath, for his own
glory, unchangeably foreordained
whatsoever comes to pass in
time,2 especially concerning angels and men.

WSC 7 What are the decrees of
God?
A. The decrees of God are, his
eternal purpose, according to the
counsel of his will, whereby, for
his own glory, he hath foreordained whatsoever comes to
pass.1

WCF 3.2 Although God knows
whatsoever may or can come to
pass upon all supposed conditions,1 yet hath He not decreed
anything because He foresaw it as
future, or as that which would
come to pass upon such conditions.2
1

WCF 3.3 By the decree of God,
for the manifestation of His
glory, some men and angels1 are
predestinated unto everlasting
life, and others foreordained to
everlasting death.2
1
2

1 Tim. 5:21; Matt. 25:41.
Rom. 9:22, 23; Eph. 1:5, 6; Prov. 16:4.

WCF 3.4 These angels and men,
thus predestinated and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed; and their
number so certain and definite,
that it cannot be either increased

WLC 13 What hath God especially decreed concerning angels
and men?
A. God, by an eternal and immutable decree, out of his mere love,
for the praise of his glorious
grace, to be manifested in due
time, hath elected some angels to
glory;1 and in Christ hath chosen
some men to eternal life, and the
means thereof:2 and also, according to his sovereign power, and
the unsearchable counsel of his
own will, whereby he extendeth
or withholdeth favour as he

1

Eph. 1:4, 11; Rom. 9:22, 23.

12

Harmony of the Westminster Standards

Confession of Faith
or diminished.1
1

2 Tim. 2:19; John 13:18.

Larger Catechism
pleaseth hath passed by and foreordained the rest to dishonour
and wrath, to be for their sin inflicted, to the praise of the glory
of his justice.3
1
2
3

WCF 3.5 Those of mankind that
are predestinated unto life, God,
before the foundation of the
world was laid, according to His
eternal and immutable purpose,
and the secret counsel and good
pleasure of His will, hath chosen
in Christ unto everlasting glory,1
out of His mere free grace and
love, without any foresight of
faith or good works, or
perserverance in either of them,
or any other thing in the creature,
as conditions, or causes moving
Him thereunto;2 and all to the
praise of His glorious grace.3
1

WCF 3.6 As God hath appointed
the elect unto glory, so hath He,
by the eternal and most free purpose of His will, foreordained all
the means thereunto.1 Wherefore,
they who are elected being fallen
in Adam, are redeemed by
Christ;2 are effectually called
unto faith in Christ by His Spirit
working in due season; are justified, adopted, sanctified,3 and
kept by His power, through faith,
unto salvation.4 Neither are any
other redeemed by Christ, effectually called, justified, adopted,
sanctified, and saved, but the
elect only.5
1

WCF 3.7 The rest of mankind,
God was pleased, according to
the unsearchable counsel of His
own will, whereby He extendeth
or withholdeth mercy, as He
pleaseth, for the glory of His sovereign power over His creatures,
to pass by, and to ordain them to
dishonour and wrath for their sin,
to the praise of His glorious justice.1
1

WCF 3.8 The doctrine of this
high mystery of predestination is
to be handled with special prudence and care,1 that men, attending the will of God revealed in
His Word, and yielding obedience thereunto, may, from the
certainty of their effectual vocation, be assured of their eternal
election.2 So shall this doctrine
afford matter of praise, reverence,
and admiration of God,3 and of
humility, diligence, and abundant
consolation, to all that sincerely
obey the Gospel.4
1

WLC 14 How doth God execute
his decrees?
A. God executeth his decrees in
the works of creation and providence, according to his infallible
foreknowledge, and the free and
immutable counsel of his own
will.1

WSC 8 How doth God execute
his decrees?
A. God executeth his decrees in
the works of creation and providence.

1

WCF 4.1 It pleased God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,1 for
the manifestation of the glory of
His eternal power, wisdom, and
goodness,2 in the beginning, to
create, or make of nothing, the
world, and all things therein,
whether visible or invisible, in
the space of six days, and all very
good.3

Eph. 1:11

WLC 15 What is the work of
creation?
A. The work of creation is that
wherein God did in the beginning, by the word of his power,
make of nothing the world, and
all things therein, for himself,
within the space of six days, and
all very good.1
1

WSC 9 What is the work of creation?
A. The work of creation is, God's
making all things of nothing, by
the word of his power, in the
space of six days, and all very
good.1
1

WLC 16 How did God create
angels?
A. God created all the angels1
spirits2, immortal3, holy4, excelling in knowledge5, mighty in
power6, to execute his commandments, and to praise his
name7, yet subject to change.8
1

other creatures, He created man,
male and female,1 with reasonable and immortal souls,2 endued
with knowledge, righteousness,
and true holiness, after His own
image,3 having the law of God
written in their hearts,4 and power
to fulfill it;5 and yet under a possibility of transgressing, being
left to the liberty of their own
will, which was subject unto
change.6 Beside this law written
in their hearts, they received a
command not to eat of the tree of
knowledge of good and evil;7
which while they kept, they were
happy in their communion with
God, and had dominion over the
creatures.8

man?
A. After God had made all other
creatures, he created man male
and female;1 formed the body of
the man of the dust of the
ground,2 and the woman of the
rib of the man,3 endued them with
living, reasonable and immortal
souls;4 made them after his own
image,5 in knowledge,6 righteousness, and holiness;7 having
the law of God written in their
hearts,8 and power to fulfil it,9
and dominion over the creatures;10 yet subject to fall.11

man?
A. God created man male and
female, after his own image, in
knowledge, righteousness, and
holiness, with dominion over the
creatures.1

WCF 5.1 God the great Creator
of all things doth uphold,1 direct,
dispose, and govern all creatures,
actions, and things,2 from the
greatest even to the least,3 by His
most wise and holy providence,4
according to His infallible foreknowledge,5 and the free and
immutable counsel of His own
will,6 to the praise of the glory of
His wisdom, power, justice,
goodness, and mercy.7

WLC 18 What are the works of
providence?
A. God's works of providence are
his most holy,1 wise,2 and powerful preserving3 and governing4 all
his creatures; ordering them, and
all their actions,5 to his own
glory.6

WSC 11 What are the works of
providence?
A. God's works of providence are
his most holy,1 wise,2 and powerful preserving3 and governing all
his creatures, and all their actions.4

WCF 5.2 Although, in relation to
the foreknowledge and decree of
God, the first cause, all things
come to pass immutably, and infallibly;1 yet, by the same providence, He ordereth them to fall
out according to the nature of
second causes, either necessarily,
freely, or contingently.2
1
2

WCF 5.4 The almighty power,
unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness of God so far manifest themselves in His providence, that it extendeth itself
even to the first fall, and all other
sins of angels and men,1 and that
not by a bare permission,2 but
such as hath joined with it a most
wise and powerful bounding,3
and otherwise ordering and governing of them, in a manifold dispensation, to His own holy ends;4
yet so, as the sinfulness thereof
proceedeth only from the creature, and not from God; who, being most holy and righteous, neither is nor can be the author or
approver of sin.5
1

WCF 5.5 The most wise, righteous, and gracious God doth oftentimes leave, for a season, His
own children to manifold temptations, and the corruption of their
own hearts, to chastise them for
their former sins, or to discover
unto them the hidden strength of
corruption and deceitfulness of
their hearts, that they may be
humbled;1 and, to raise them to a
more close and constant dependence for their support upon Himself, and to make them more
watchful against all future occasions of sin, and for sundry other
just and holy ends.2
1
2

WCF 5.6 As for those wicked
and ungodly men whom God, as
a righteous judge, for former sins,
doth blind and harden,1 from
them He not only withholdeth His

WLC 19 What is God's providence towards the angels?
A. God by his providence permitted some of the angels, wilfully
and irrecoverably, to fall into sin
and damnation,1 limiting and ordering that, and all their sins, to
his own glory;2 and established
the rest in holiness and happiness;3 employing them all,4 at his
pleasure, in the administrations of
his power, mercy, and justice.5
1

grace, whereby they might have
been enlightened in their understandings, and wrought upon in
their hearts;2 but sometimes also
withdraweth the gifts which they
had,3 and exposeth them to such
objects as their corruption makes
occasions of sin;4 and, withal,
gives them over to their own
lusts, the temptations of the
world, and the power of Satan,5
whereby it comes to pass that
they harden themselves, even under those means which God useth
for the softening of others.6
1

WCF 5.7 As the providence of
God doth, in general, reach to all
creatures; so after a most special
manner, it taketh care of His
Church, and disposeth all things
to the good thereof.1
1

1 Tim. 4:10; Amos 9:8, 9; Rom. 8:28; Isa.
43:3, 4, 5, 14.

Notes

Shorter Catechism

Chapter Six:

Of the Fall, Of Sin, and
Of the Punishment
Thereof
Confession of Faith Ch. 6; Larger Catechism 21-29; Shorter Catechism 13-19

Confession of Faith

Larger Catechism

Shorter Catechism

WCF 6.1 Our first parents, being
seduced by the subtilty and temptation of Satan, sinned in eating
the forbidden fruit.1 This their
sin, God was pleased, according
to His wise and holy counsel, to
permit, having purposed to order
it to His own glory.2

WLC 21 Did man continue in
that estate wherein God first created him?
A. Our first parents being left to
the freedom of their own will,
through the temptation of Satan,
transgressed the commandment
of God in eating the forbidden
fruit; and thereby fell from the estate of innocency wherein they
were created.1

WSC 13 Did our first parents
continue in the estate wherein
they were created?
A. Our first parents, being left to
the freedom of their own will, fell
from the estate wherein they were
created, by sinning against God.1

1

Gen. 3:13; 2 Cor. 11:3.
2
Rom. 11:32.

1

Gen. 3:6, 7, 8, 13; Eccl. 7:29; 2 Cor. 11:3

1

WSC 15 What was the sin
whereby our first parents fell
from the estate wherein they were
created?
A. The sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein
they were created, was their eating the forbidden fruit.1
1

WLC 24 What is sin?
A. Sin is any want of conformity
unto, or transgression of, any law
of God, given as a rule to the reasonable creature.1
1

WCF 6.2 By this sin, they fell
from their original righteousness
and communion with God,1 and
so became dead in sin,2 and
wholly defiled in all the parts and
faculties of soul and body.3
1

WSC 14 What is sin?
A. Sin is any want of conformity
unto, or transgression of, the law
of God.1
1

1 John 3:4.

22

Harmony of the Westminster Standards

Confession of Faith

Larger Catechism

Shorter Catechism

WCF 6.3 They being the root of
all mankind, the guilt of this sin
was imputed,1 and the same death
in sin and corrupted nature conveyed to all their posterity, descending from them by ordinary
generation.2

WLC 22 Did all mankind fall in
that first transgression?
A. The covenant being made with
Adam as a publick person, not for
himself only, but for his posterity,
all mankind descending from him
by ordinary generation,1 sinned in
him, and fell in that first transgression.2

WSC 16 Did all mankind fall in
Adam's first transgression?
A. The covenant being made with
Adam, not only for himself, but
for his posterity; all mankind, descending from him by ordinary
generation, sinned in him, and
fell with him, in his first transgression.1

WLC 26 How is original sin
conveyed from our first parents
unto their posterity?
A. Original sin is conveyed from
our first parents unto their posterity by natural generation, so as all
that proceed from them in that
way are conceived and born in
sin.1
1

Ps. 51:5; Job 14:4; Job 15:14; John 3:6.

WLC 23 Into what estate did the
fall bring mankind?
A. The fall brought mankind into
an estate of sin and misery.1
1

WCF 6.4 From this original corruption, whereby we are utterly
indisposed, disabled, and made
opposite to all good,1 and wholly
inclined to all evil,2 do proceed
all actual transgressions.3
1

WCF 6.5 This corruption of nature, during this life, doth remain
in those that are regenerated;1 and
although it be through Christ pardoned and mortified, yet both itself, and all the motions thereof,
are truly and properly sin.2
1

WLC 25 Wherein consisteth the
sinfulness of that estate wherein
man fell?
A. The sinfulness of that estate
wherein man fell, consisteth in
the guilt of Adam's first sin,1 the
want of that righteousness
wherein he was created, and the
corruption of his nature, whereby
he is utterly indisposed, disabled,
and made opposite unto all that is
spiritually good, and wholly inclined to all evil, and that continually;2 which is commonly
called Original Sin, and from
which do proceed all actual
transgressions.3

WSC 17 Into what estate did the
fall bring mankind?
A. The fall brought mankind into
an estate of sin and misery.1
1

Rom. 5:12

WSC 18 Wherein consists the
sinfulness of that estate whereinto
man fell?
A. The sinfulness of that estate
wherein man fell, consists in the
guilt of Adam's first sin, 1 the
want of original righteousness,
and the corruption of his whole
nature, which is commonly called
Original Sin;2 together with all
actual transgressions which proceed from it.3
1

of the righteous law of God, and
contrary thereunto,1 doth, in its
own nature, bring guilt upon the
sinner,2 whereby he is bound over
to the wrath of God,3 and curse of
the law,4 and so made subject to
death,5 with all miseries spiritual,6 temporal,7 and eternal.8

A. The fall brought upon mankind the loss of communion with
God,1 his displeasure and curse;
so as we are by nature children of
wrath,2 bond slaves to Satan,3 and
justly liable to all punishments in
this world, and that which is to
come.4

A. All mankind by their fall lost
communion with God,1 are under
his wrath and curse,2 and so made
liable to all miseries in this life, to
death itself, and to the pains of
hell for ever.3

WLC 28 What are the punishments of sin in this world?
A. The punishments of sin in this
world are either inward, as blindness of mind,1 a reprobate sense,2
strong delusions,3 hardness of
heart,4 horror of conscience,5 and
vile affections;6 or outward, as
the curse of God upon the creatures for our sakes,7 and all other
evils that befall us in our bodies,
names, estates, relations, and employments;8 together with death
itself.9
1

WLC 29 What are the punishments of sin in the world to
come?
A. The punishments of sin in the
world to come, are everlasting
separation from the comfortable
presence of God, and most grievous torments in soul and body,
without intermission, in hell-fire
for ever.1
1

WCF 7.1 The distance between
God and the creature is so great,
that although reasonable creatures
do owe obedience unto Him as
their Creator, yet they could
never have any fruition of Him as
their blessedness and reward, but
by some voluntary condescension
on God's part, which He hath
been pleased to express by way
of covenant.1

WLC 20 What was the providence of God toward man in the
estate in which he was created?
A. The providence of God toward
man in the estate in which he was
created, was the placing him in
paradise, appointing him to dress
it, giving him liberty to eat of the
fruit of the earth;1 putting the
creatures under his dominion,2
and ordaining marriage for his
help;3 affording him communion
with himself;4 instituting the Sabbath;5 entering into a covenant of
life with him, upon condition of
personal, perfect, and perpetual
obedience,6 of which the tree of
life was a pledge;7 and forbidding
to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, upon the
pain of death.8

WSC 12 What special act of
providence did God exercise toward man in the estate wherein
he was created?
A. When God had created man,
he entered into a covenant of life
with him, upon condition of perfect obedience; forbidding him to
eat of the tree of the knowledge
of good and evil, upon pain of
death.1

WCF 7.2 The first covenant
made with man was a covenant of
works,1 wherein life was promised to Adam, and in him to his
posterity,2 upon condition of perfect and personal obedience.3
1

Gal. 3:12.
Rom. 10:5; Rom. 5:12-20.
3
Gen. 2:17; Gal. 3:10.
2

WCF 7.3 Man, by his fall, having made himself uncapable of
life by that covenant, the Lord
was pleased to make a second,1
commonly called the Covenant of
Grace, whereby He freely offereth unto sinners life and salvation
by Jesus Christ, requiring of them

WLC 30 Doth God leave all
mankind to perish in the estate of
sin and misery?
A. God doth not leave all men to
perish in the estate of sin and
misery,1 into which they fell by
the breach of the first covenant,
commonly called the Covenant of

WSC 20 Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin
and misery?
A. God having, out of his mere
good pleasure, from all eternity,
elected some to everlasting life,1
did enter into a covenant of
grace, to deliver them out of the

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faith in Him, that they may be
saved;2 and promising to give
unto all those that are ordained
unto eternal life His Holy Spirit,
to make them willing, and able to
believe.3

Works;2 but of his mere love and
mercy delivereth his elect out of
it, and bringeth them into an estate of salvation by the second
covenant, commonly called the
Covenant of Grace.3

estate of sin and misery, and to
bring them into an estate of salvation by a Redeemer.2

WLC 31 With whom was the
covenant of grace made?
A. The covenant of grace was
made with Christ as the second
Adam, and in him with all the
elect as his seed.1
1

Gal. 3:16; Rom. 5:15-21.

WLC 32 How is the grace of
God manifested in the second
covenant?
A. The grace of God is manifested in the second covenant, in
that he freely provideth and offereth to sinners a Mediator,1 and
life and salvation by him;2 and
requiring faith as the condition to
interest them in him,3 promiseth
and giveth his Holy Spirit4 to all
his elect, to work in them that
faith,5 with all other saving
graces;6 and to enable them unto
all holy obedience,7 as the evidence of the truth of their faith8
and thankfulness to God,9 and as
the way which he hath appointed
them to salvation.10
1

WCF 7.4 This covenant of grace
is frequently set forth in the
Scripture by the name of a Testament, in reference to the death
of Jesus Christ the testator, and to
the everlasting inheritance, with
all things belonging to it, therein
bequeathed.1

1
2

Eph. 1:4.
Rom. 3:20, 21, 22; Gal. 3:21, 22.

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1

27

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Heb. 9:15, 16, 17; Heb. 7:22; Luke
22:20; 1 Cor. 11:25.

WCF 7.5 This covenant was differently administered in the time
of the law, and in the time of the
gospel;1 under the law it was administered by promises, prophecies, sacrifices, circumcision, the
paschal lamb, and other types and
ordinances delivered to the people of the Jews, all foresignifying
Christ to come,2 which were for
that time sufficient and efficacious, through the operation of
the Spirit, to instruct and build up
the elect in faith in the promised
Messiah,3 by whom they had full
remission of sins, and eternal salvation; and is called the Old Testament.4
1

WLC 33 Was the covenant of
grace always administered after
one and the same manner?
A. The covenant of grace was not
always administered after the
same manner, but the administration of it under the Old Testament
were different from those under
the New.1
1

2 Cor. 3:6-9.

WLC 34 How was the covenant
of grace administered under the
Old Testament?
A. The covenant of grace was
administered under the Old Testament, by promises,1 prophecies,2 sacrifices,3 circumcision,4
the pass-over,5 and other types
and ordinances, which did foresignify Christ then to come, and
were for that time sufficient to
build up the elect in faith in the
promised Messiah,6 by whom
they then had full remission of
sin, and eternal salvation.7
1

WCF 7.6 Under the gospel,
when Christ the substance1 was
exhibited, the ordinances in
which this covenant is dispensed
are the preaching of the Word,
and the administration of the sacraments of Baptism and the
Lord's Supper,2 which, though
fewer in number, and administered with more simplicity and
less outward glory, yet in them it
is held forth in more fulness, evidence, and spiritual efficacy,3 to
all nations, both Jews and Gentiles;4 and is called the New Testament.5 There are not therefore
two covenants of grace differing

WLC 35 How is the covenant of
grace administered under the
New Testament?
A. Under the New Testament,
when Christ the substance was
exhibited, the same covenant of
grace was and still is to be administered in the preaching of the
word,1 and the administration of
the sacraments of baptism2 and
the Lord's Supper;3 in which
grace and salvation are held forth
in more fulness, evidence, and efficacy, to all nations.4
1

WLC 36 Who is the Mediator of
the covenant of grace?
A. The only Mediator of the
covenant of grace is the Lord Jesus Christ,1 who, being the eternal Son of God, of one substance
and equal with the Father,2 in the
fulness of time became man,3 and
so was and continues to be God
and man, in two entire distinct
natures, and one person, for
ever.4

WSC 21 Who is the Redeemer
of God's elect?
A. The only Redeemer of God's
elect is the Lord Jesus Christ,1
who, being the eternal Son of
God, became man,2 and so was,
and continueth to be, God and
man in two distinct natures, and
one person, for ever.3

WCF 8.1 It pleased God, in His
eternal purpose, to choose and
ordain the Lord Jesus, His only
begotten Son, to be the Mediator
between God and man;1 the
Prophet,2 Priest,3 and King;4 the
Head and Saviour of His
Church;5 the Heir of all things;6
and Judge of the world;7 unto
whom He did from all eternity
give a people, to be His seed,8
and to be by Him in time redeemed, called, justified, sanctified, and glorified.9
1

WCF 8.2 The Son of God, the
second person in the Trinity, being very and eternal God, of one
substance and equal with the Father, did, when the fulness of
time was come, take upon Him
man's nature,1 with all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof, yet without sin;2
being conceived by the power of
the Holy Ghost, in the womb of
the Virgin Mary, of her substance.3 So that two whole, perfect, and distinct natures, the
Godhead and the manhood, were
inseparably joined together in one
person, without conversion, com-

position, or confusion.4 Which
person is very God, and very
man, yet one Christ, the only
Mediator between God and man.5

WLC 37 How did Christ, being
the Son of God, become man?
A. Christ the Son of God became
man, by taking to himself a true
body, and a reasonable soul,1 being conceived by the power of the
Holy Ghost in the womb of the
Virgin Mary, of her substance,
and born of her,2 yet without sin.3

WSC 22 How did Christ, being
the Son of God, become man?
A. Christ, the Son of God, became man, by taking to himself a
true body,1 and a reasonable
soul,2 being conceived by the
power of the Holy Ghost, in the
womb of the Virgin Mary, and
born of her,3 yet without sin.4

WLC 38 Why was it requisite
that the Mediator should be God?
A. It was requisite that the Mediator should be God, that he
might sustain and keep the human
nature from sinking under the infinite wrath of God, and the
power of death;1 give worth and
efficacy to his sufferings, obedience, and intercession,2 and to
satisfy God's justice,3 procure his
favour,4 purchase a peculiar people,5 give his Spirit to them,6
conquer all their enemies,7 and
bring them to everlasting salvation.8
1Acts 2:24;, 25; Rom. 1:4; Rom. 4:25;
Heb. 9:14.
2Acts 20:28; Heb. 9:14; Heb. 7:25-28.
3Rom. 3:24, 25, 26.
4Eph. 1:6; Matt. 3:17.
5Tit. 2:13, 14.
6Gal. 4:6.
7Luke 1:68, 69, 71, 74.
8Heb. 5:8, 9; Heb. 9:11-15.

WLC 39 Why was it requisite
that the Mediator should be man?
A. It was requisite that the Mediator should be man, that he
might advance our nature,1 perform obedience to the law,2 suffer
and make intercession for us in
our nature,3 have a fellow-feeling
of our infirmities;4 that we might
receive the adoption of sons,5 and
have comfort and access with
boldness unto the throne of
grace.6
1

WLC 40 Why was it requisite
that the Mediator should be God
and man in one person?
A. It was requisite that the Mediator, who was to reconcile God
and man, should himself be both
God and man, and this in one
person, that the proper works of
each nature might be accepted of
God for us,1 and relied on by us,
as the works of the whole person.2
1
2

Matt. 1:21, 23; Matt. 3:17; Heb. 9:14.
1 Pet. 2:6

WLC 41 Why was our Mediator
called Jesus?
A. Our Mediator was called Jesus, because he saveth his people
from their sins.1
1

WCF 8.3 The Lord Jesus, in His
human nature thus united to the
divine, was sanctified and
anointed with the Holy Spirit
above measure;1 having in Him
all the treasures of wisdom and
knowledge;2 in whom it pleased
the Father that all fulness should
dwell:3 to the end, that being
holy, harmless, undefiled, and
full of grace and truth,4 He might
be thoroughly furnished to execute the office of a Mediator and
Surety.5 Which office He took
not unto Himself, but was thereunto called by His Father;6 who
put all power and judgment into
His hand, and gave Him commandment to execute the same.7

Matt. 1:21

WLC 42 Why was our Mediator
called Christ?
A. Our Mediator was called
Christ, because he was annointed
with the Holy Ghost above measure;1 and so set apart, and fully
furnished with all authority and
ability,2 to execute the offices of
prophet,3 priest,4 and king of his
Church,5 in the estate both of his
humiliation and exaltation.

WSC 23
What offices doth
Christ execute as our Redeemer?
A. Christ, as our Redeemer,
executeth the offices of a prophet,
of a priest, and of a king, both in
his estate of humiliation and exaltation.1
1

WCF 8.4 This office the Lord
Jesus did most willingly undertake,1 which that He may discharge, He was made under the
law,2 and did perfectly fulfil it;3
endured most grievous torments
immediately in His soul,4 and
most painful sufferings in His
body;5 was crucified, and died;6
was buried, and remained under
the power of death, yet saw no
corruption.7 On the third day He
arose from the dead,8 with the
same body in which He suffered;9
with which also He ascended into
heaven, and there sitteth at the
right hand of His Father,10 making intercession;11 and shall return to judge men and angels at
the end of the age.12 [Original
reads: world, BP reads: age]
1

WLC 46 What was the estate of
Christ's humiliation ?
A. The estate of Christ's humiliation was that low condition,
wherein he for our sakes, emptying himself of his glory, took
upon him the form of a servant,
in his conception and birth, life,
death, and after his death, until
his resurrection.1
1

Phil 2:6, 7, 8; Luke 1:31; 2 Cor. 8:9; Acts
2:24.

WSC 27 Wherein did Christ's
humiliation consist?
A. Christ's humiliation consisted
in his being born, and that in a
low condition,1 made under the
law,2 undergoing the miseries of
this life,3 the wrath of God,4 and
the cursed death of the cross;5 in
being buried,6 and continuing under the power of death for a
time.7
1

WLC 47 How did Christ humble
himself in his conception and
birth?
A. Christ humbled himself in his
conception and birth, in that, being from all eternity the Son of
God, in the bosom of the Father,
he was pleased in the fulness of
time to become the son of man,
made of a woman of low estate,
and to be born of her; with divers
circumstances of more than ordinary abasement.1
1

John 1:14, 18; Gal. 4:4; Luke 2:7.

WLC 48 How did Christ humble
himself in his life?
A. Christ humbled himself in his
life, by subjecting himself to the
law,1 which he perfectly fulfilled,2 and by conflicting with
the indignities of the world,3
temptations of Satan,4 and infirmities in his flesh, whether common to the nature of man, or particularly accompanying that his
low condition.5
1

WLC 49 How did Christ humble
himself in his death?
A. Christ humbled himself in his
death, in that having been betrayed by Judas,1 forsaken by his
disciples,2 scorned and rejected
by the world,3 condemned by Pilate, and tormented by his persecutors,4 having also conflicted
with the terrors of death and the
powers of darkness, felt and
borne the weight of God's wrath,5
he laid down his life an offering
for sin,6 enduring the painful,
shameful, and cursed death of the
cross.7
1

WLC 50
Wherein consisted
Christ's humiliation after his
death?
A. Christ's humiliation after his
death consisted in his being buried,1 and continuing in the state
of the dead, and under the power
of death till the third day;2 which
hath been otherwise expressed in
these words, He descended into
hell.
1
2

WLC 51 What was the estate of
Christ's exaltation ?
A. The estate of Christ's exaltation comprehendeth his resurrection,1 ascension,2 sitting at the
right hand of the Father,3 and his
coming again to judge the world.4
1

1 Cor. 15:4.
Mark 16:19.
3
Eph. 1:20
4
Acts 1:11; Acts 17:31.
2

WSC 28
Wherein consisteth
Christ's exaltation?
A. Christ's exaltation consisteth
in his rising again from the dead
on the third day,1 in ascending up
into heaven,2 in sitting at the right
hand of God the Father,3 and in
coming to judge the world at the
last day.4
1

1 Cor. 15:4
Mark 16:19
Eph. 1:20
4
Acts 1:11; Acts 17:31
2
3

WLC 52 How was Christ exalted
in his resurrection?
A. Christ was exalted in his resurrection, in that not having seen

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corruption in death of which it
was not possible for him to be
held1, and having the very same
body in which he suffered, with
the essential properties thereof,2
but without mortality, and other
common infirmities belonging to
this life really united to his soul,3
he rose again from the dead the
third day by his own power;4
whereby he declared himself to
be the Son of God,5 to have satisfied divine justice,6 to have vanquished death, and him that had
the power of it,7 and to be Lord
of quick and dead:8 all which he
did as a public person,9 the head
of his Church,10 for their justification,11 quickening in grace,12
support against enemies,13 and to
assure them of their resurrection
from the dead at the last day.14
1

WLC 53 How was Christ exalted
in his ascension?
A. Christ was exalted in his ascension, in that having after his
resurrection often appeared unto
and conversed with his apostles,
speaking to them of the things
pertaining to the kingdom of
God,1 and giving them commission to preach the gospel to all
nations,2 forty days after his resurrection, he, in our nature, and
as our head,3 triumphing over
enemies,4 visibly went up into the
highest heavens, there to receive
gifts for men,5 to raise up our affections thither,6 and to prepare a
place for us,7 where himself is,
and shall continue till his second

WLC 54 How is Christ exalted
in his sitting at the right hand of
God?
A. Christ is exalted in his sitting
at the right hand of God, in that
as God-man he is advanced to the
highest favour with God the Father,1 with all fulness of joy,2
glory,3 and power over all things
in heaven and earth,4 and doth
gather and defend his church, and
subdue their enemies; furnisheth
ministers and people with gifts
and graces,5 and maketh intercession for them.6
1

WLC 55 How doth Christ make
intercession ?
A. Christ maketh intercession, by
his appearing in our nature continually before the Father in
heaven,1 in the merit of his obedience and sacrifice on earth,2
declaring his will to have it applied to all believers;3 answering
all accusations against them,4 and
procuring for them quiet of conscience, notwithstanding daily
failings,5 access with boldness to
the throne of grace,6 and acceptance of their persons7 and services.8
1

WLC 56 How is Christ to be exalted in his coming again to judge
the world?
A. Christ is to be exalted in his
coming again to judge the world,
in that he, who was unjustly
judged and condemned by
wicked men,1 shall come again at
the last day in great power,2 and
in the full manifestation of his
own glory, and of his Father's,
with all his holy angels,3 with a
shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of
God,4 to judge the world in righteousness.5
1

WCF 8.5 The Lord Jesus, by His
perfect obedience and sacrifice of
Himself, which He, through the
eternal Spirit, once offered up
unto God, hath fully satisfied the
justice of His Father;1 and purchased, not only reconciliation,
but an everlasting inheritance in
the kingdom of heaven, for all
those whom the Father hath given
unto Him.2
1

WLC 44 How doth Christ execute the office of a priest?
A. Christ executeth the office of a
priest, in his once offering himself a sacrifice without spot to
God,1 to be a reconciliation for
the sins of his people;2 and in
making continual intercession for
them.3
1

Heb. 9:14, 28.
2
Heb. 2:17.
3
Heb. 7:25.

WLC 45 How doth Christ execute the office of a king?
A. Christ executeth the office of a
king, in calling out of the world a
people to himself,1 and giving
them officers,2 laws,3 and censures, by which he visibly governs them;4 in bestowing saving
grace upon his elect,5 rewarding
their obedience,6 and correcting
them for their sins,7 preserving
and supporting them under all
their temptations and sufferings,8
restraining and overcoming all
their enemies,9 and powerfully
ordering all things for his own
glory,10 and their good;11 and also
in taking vengeance on the rest,
who know not God, and obey not
the gospel.12

WSC 25 How doth Christ execute the office of a priest?
A. Christ executeth the office of a
priest, in his once offering up of
himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice,1 and reconcile us to
God,2 and in making continual intercession for us.3
1

Heb. 9:14, 28.
Heb. 2:17.
3
Heb. 7:24, 25.
2

WSC 26 How doth Christ execute the office of a king?
A. Christ executeth the office of a
king, in subduing us to himself,1
in ruling2 and defending us,3 and
in restraining and conquering all
his and our enemies.4
1

WCF 8.6 Although the work of
redemption was not actually
wrought by Christ till after His
incarnation, yet the virtue, efficacy, and benefits thereof, were
communicated unto the elect in
all ages successively from the beginning of the world, in and by
those promises, types, and sacrifices, wherein He was revealed
and signified to be the Seed of
the woman, which should bruise
the serpent's head, and the Lamb
slain from the beginning of the
world being yesterday and today
the same, and for ever.1
1

Gal. 4:4, 5; Gen. 3:15; Rev. 13:8; Heb.
13:8.

WCF 8.7 Christ, in the work of
mediation, acteth according to
both natures, by each nature doing that which is proper to itself:1
yet, by reason of the unity of the
person, that which is proper to
one nature is sometimes in Scripture attributed to the person denominated by the other nature.2
1
2

Heb. 9:14; 1 Pet. 3:18.
Acts 20:28; John 3:13; 1 John 3:16.

WCF 8.8 To all those for whom
Christ hath purchased redemption, He doth certainly and effectually apply and communicate the
same;1 making intercession for
them;2 and revealing unto them,
in and by the Word, the mysteries
of salvation;3 effectually persuading them by His Spirit to believe
and obey; and governing their
hearts by His Word and Spirit;4

WLC 57 What benefits hath
Christ procured by his mediation?
A. Christ, by his mediation, hath
procured redemption,1 with all
other benefits of the covenant of
grace.2
1
2

Heb. 9:12.
2 Cor. 1:20.

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overcoming all their enemies by
His almighty power and wisdom,
in such manner and ways as are
most consonant to His wonderful
and unsearchable dispensation.5
1

WLC 149 Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments
of God?
A. No man is able, either of himself,1 or by any grace received in
this life, perfectly to keep the
commandments of God;2 but doth
daily break them in thought,3
word, and deed.4

WSC 82 Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments
of God?
A. No mere man since the fall is
able in this life perfectly to keep
the commandments of God,1 but
doth daily break them in thought,
word, and deed.2

WCF 9.1 God hath endued the
will of man with that natural liberty, that it is neither forced, nor
by any absolute necessity of nature determined, to good or evil.1
1

Matt. 17:12; James 1:14; Deut. 30:19.

WCF 9.2 Man, in his state of innocency, had freedom and power
to will and to do that which was
good and well-pleasing to God;1
but yet, mutably, so that he might
fall from it.2
1
2

Eccl. 7:29; Gen. 1:26.
Gen. 2:16, 17; Gen. 3:6.

WCF 9.3 Man, by his fall into a
state of sin, hath wholly lost all
ability of will to any spiritual
good accompanying salvation;1
so as, a natural man, being altogether averse from that good,2
and dead in sin,3 is not able, by
his own strength, to convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto.4
1

WLC 150 Are all transgressions
of the law of God equally heinous
in themselves, and in the sight of
God?
A. All transgressions of the law
of God are not equally heinous,
but some sins in themselves, and
by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the

WSC 83 Are all transgressions
of the law equally heinous?
A. Some sins in themselves, and
by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the
sight of God than others.1

WLC 151 What are those aggravations that make some sins more
heinous than others?
A. Sins receive their aggravations
1. From the persons offending:1 if
they be of riper age,2 greater experience or grace,3 eminent for
profession,4 gifts,5 place,6 office,7
guides to others,8 and whose example is likely to be followed by
others.9
2. From the parties offended:10 if
immediately against God,11 his attributes,12 and worship;13 against
Christ, and his grace;14 the Holy
Spirit,15 his witness,16 and workings;17 against superiors, men of
eminency,18 and such as we stand
especially related and engaged
unto;19 against any of the saints,20
particularly weak brethren,21 the
souls of them, or any other,22 and
the common good of all or
many.23
3. From the nature and quality of
the offence:24 if it be against the
express letter of the law,25 break
many commandments, contain in
it many sins:26 if not only conceived in the heart, but breaks
forth in words and actions,27
scandalize others,28 and admit of
no reparation:29 if against
means,30 mercies,31 judgments,32
light of nature,33 conviction of
consciousness,34 publick or private admonition,35 censures of the
church,36 civil punishments;37 and
our prayers, purposes, promises,38
vows,39 covenants,40 and engagements to God or men:41 if
done deliberately,42 wilfully,43
presumptuously,44 impudently,45
boastingly,46 maliciously,47 frequently,48 obstinately,49 with delight,50 continuance,51 or relapsing after repentance.52
4. From circumstances of time53
and place:54 if on the Lord's
day,55 or other times of divine

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worship;56 or immediately before57 or after these,58 or other
helps to prevent or remedy such
miscarriages:59 if in publick, or in
the presence of others, who are
thereby likely to be provoked or
defiled.60
1

WLC 152 What doth every sin
deserve at the hands of God?
A. Every sin, even the least, being against the sovereignty,1
goodness,2 and holiness of God,3
and against his righteous law,4
deserveth his wrath and curse,5
both in this life,6 and that which
is to come;7 and cannot be expiated but by the blood of Christ.8
1

WCF 9.4 When God converts a
sinner, and translates him into the
state of grace, He freeth him from
his natural bondage under sin,1
and by His grace alone, enables
him freely to will and to do that
which is spiritually good;2 yet so
as that, by reason of his remaining corruption, he doth not perfectly nor only will that which is
good, but doth also will that
which is evil.3
1

WLC 57 What benefits hath
Christ procured by his mediation?
A. Christ, by his mediation, hath
procured redemption,1 with all
other benefits of the covenant of
grace.2
1
2

Heb. 9:12.
2 Cor. 1:20.

WLC 58 How do we come to be
made partakers of the benefits
which Christ hath procured ?
A. We are made partakers of the
benefits which Christ hath procured, by the application of them
unto us,1 which is the work especially of God the Holy Ghost.2

WSC 29 How are we made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ?
A. We are made partakers of the
redemption purchased by Christ,
by the effectual application of it
to us1 by his Holy Spirit.2
1

John 1:11, 12
Tit. 3:5, 6

1

2

WLC 59 Who are made partakers of redemption through Christ?
A. Redemption is certainly applied, and effectually communicated, to all those for whom
Christ hath purchased it;1 who are
in time by the Holy Ghost enabled to believe in Christ according to the gospel.2

WSC 30 How doth the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ?
A. The Spirit applieth to us the
redemption purchased by Christ,
by working faith in us,1 and
thereby uniting us to Christ in our
effectual calling.2

1 John 1:11, 12
2
Tit. 3:5, 6

1

Eph. 1:13, 14; John 6:37, 39; John 10:15,
16
2
Eph. 2:8; 2 Cor. 4:13

WLC 66 What is that union
which the elect have with Christ?
A. The union which the elect
have with Christ is the work of
God's grace,1 whereby they are
spiritually and mystically, yet
really and inseparably, joined to
Christ as their head and husband;2
which is done in their effectual

WCF 10.1 All those whom God
hath predestinated unto life, and
those only, He is pleased, in His
appointed and accepted time, effectually to call,1 by His Word
and Spirit,2 out of that state of sin
and death in which they are by
nature, to grace and salvation by
Jesus Christ;3 enlightening their
minds spiritually and savingly to
understand the things of God;4
taking away their heart of stone,
and giving unto them a heart of
flesh;5 renewing their wills, and,
by His almighty power determining them to that which is good;6
and effectually drawing them to
Jesus Christ;7 yet so as they come
most freely, being made willing
by His grace.8
1

WLC 67 What is effectual calling?
A. Effectual calling is the work
of God's almighty power and
grace,1 whereby out of his free
and special love to his elect, and
from nothing in them moving him
thereunto2 he doth, in his accepted time, invite and draw them
to Jesus Christ, by his word and
Spirit;3 savingly enlightening
their minds,4 renewing and powerfully determining their wills,5
so as they although in themselves
dead in sin are hereby made willing and able freely to answer his
call, and to accept and embrace
the grace offered and conveyed
therein.6
1

WLC 68 Are the elect only effectually called?
A. All the elect, and they only,
are effectually called;1 although
others may be, and often are,
outwardly called by the ministry
of the word,2 and have some
common operations of the Spirit;3
who, for their wilful neglect and
contempt of the grace offered to
them, being justly left in their unbelief, do never truly come to Jesus Christ.4
1

WCF 10.2 This effectual call is
of God's free and special grace
alone, not from anything at all

WSC 31 What is effectual calling?
A. Effectual calling is the work
of God's Spirit,1 whereby, convincing us of our sin and misery,2
enlightening our minds in the
knowledge of Christ,3 and renewing our wills,4 he doth persuade
and enable us to embrace Jesus
Christ, freely offered to us in the
gospel.5
1

foreseen in man;1 who is altogether passive therein, until, being quickened and renewed by
the Holy Spirit,2 he is thereby enabled to answer this call, and to
embrace the grace offered and
conveyed in it.3
1

WCF 10.3 Elect infants, dying in
infancy, are regenerated and
saved by Christ through the
Spirit,1 who worketh when, and
where, and how He pleaseth.2 So
also are all other elect persons,
who are uncapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of
the Word.3
1

WCF 10.4 Others not elected, although they may be called by the
ministry of the Word,1 and may
have some common operations of
the Spirit,2 yet they never truly
come unto Christ, and therefore
cannot be saved:3 much less can
men, not professing the Christian
religion be saved in any other
way whatsoever, be they never so
diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature, and
the laws of that religion they do
profess;4 and, to assert and maintain that they may, is very pernicious, and to be detested.5
1

WLC 60 Can they who have
never heard the gospel, and so
know not Jesus Christ, nor believe in him, be saved by their
living according to the light of
nature?
A. They who, having never heard
the gospel,1 know not Jesus
Christ,2 and believe not in him,
cannot be saved,3 be they never
so diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature,4 or
the laws of that religion which
they profess;5 neither is there salvation in any other, but in Christ
alone,6 who is the Saviour only of
his body the church.7
1

WCF 11.1 Those whom God effectually calleth He also freely
justifieth;1 not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as
righteous: not for anything
wrought in them, or done by
them, but for Christ's sake alone:
nor by imputing faith itself, the
act of believing, or any other
evangelical obedience, to them as
their righteousness; but by imputing the obedience and satisfaction
of Christ unto them,2 they receiving and resting on Him and His
righteousness, by faith: which
faith they have not of themselves;
it is the gift of God.3

WLC 70 What is justification?
A. Justification is an act of God's
tree grace unto sinners,1 in which
he pardoneth all their sins, accepteth and accounteth their persons
righteous in his sight;2 not for any
thing wrought in them, or done
by them,3 but only for the perfect
obedience and full satisfaction of
Christ, by God imputed to them,4
and received by faith alone.5

WSC 33 What is justification?
A. Justification is an act of God's
free grace, wherein he pardoneth
all our sins,1 and accepteth us as
righteous in his sight,2 only for
the righteousness of Christ imputed to us,3 and received by faith
alone.4

WCF 11.2 Faith, thus receiving
and resting on Christ and His
righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification;1 yet is it
not alone in the person justified,
but is ever accompanied with all
other saving graces, and is no
dead faith, but worketh by love.2
1
2

John 1:12; Rom. 3:28; Rom. 5:1.
James 2:17, 22, 26; Gal. 5:6.

WCF 11.3 Christ, by His obedience and death, did fully discharge the debt of all those that
are thus justified, and did make a

WLC 71 How is justification an
act of God's free grace?
A. Although Christ, by his obedience and death, did make a

proper, real, and full satisfaction
to His Father's justice in their behalf.1 Yet, inasmuch as He was
given by the Father for them,2
and His obedience and satisfaction accepted in their stead,3 and
both, freely, not for anything in
them, their justification is only of
free grace;4 that both the exact
justice and rich grace of God
might be glorified in the justification of sinners.5

proper, real, and full satisfaction
to God's justice in the behalf of
them that are justified,1 yet in as
much as God accepteth the satisfaction from a surety, which he
might have demanded of them
and did provide this surety, his
own only Son,2 imputing his
righteousness to them,3 and requiring nothing of them for their
justification but faith,4 which also
is his gift,5 their justification is to
them of free grace.6

WCF 11.4 God did, from all
eternity, decree to justify all the
elect;1 and Christ did, in the fulness of time, die for their sins,
and rise again for their justification:2 nevertheless, they are not
justified, until the Holy Spirit
doth, in due time, actually apply
Christ unto them.3
1

WCF 11.5 God doth continue to
forgive the sins of those that are
justified;1 and, although they can
never fall from the state of justification,2 yet they may, by their
sins, fall under God's fatherly
displeasure, and not have the
light of His countenance restored
unto them, until they humble
themselves, confess their sins,
beg pardon, and renew their faith
and repentance.3
1

WCF 12.1 All those that are justified, God vouchsafeth, in and
for His only Son Jesus Christ, to
make partakers of the grace of
adoption:1 by which they are
taken into the number, and enjoy
the liberties and privileges of the
children of God;2 have His name
put upon them,3 receive the Spirit
of adoption;4 have access to the
throne of grace with boldness;5
are enabled to cry, Abba, Father;6
are pitied,7 protected,8 provided
for,9 and chastened by Him as by
a Father;10 yet never cast off,11
but sealed to the day of redemption,12 and inherit the promises,13
as heirs of everlasting salvation.14

WLC 74 What is adoption?
A. Adoption is an act of the free
grace of God,1 in and for his only
Son Jesus Christ,2 whereby all
those that are justified are received into the number of his
children,3 have his name put upon
them,4 the Spirit of his Son given
to them,5 are under his fatherly
care and dispensations,6 admitted
to all the liberties and privileges
of the sons of God, made heirs of
all the promises and fellow-heirs
with Christ in glory.7

WSC 34 What is adoption?
A. Adoption is an act of God's
free grace,1 whereby we are received into the number, and have
a right to all the privileges of the
sons of God.2

WCF 13.1 They, who are once
effectually called and regenerated, having a new heart and a
new spirit created in them, are
further sanctified really and personally, through the virtue of
Christ's death and resurrection,1
by His Word and Spirit dwelling
in them;2 the dominion of the
whole body of sin is destroyed,3
and the several lusts thereof are
more and more weakened and
mortified,4 and they more and
more quickened and strengthened
in all saving graces,5 to the practice of true holiness, without
which no man shall see the Lord.6

WLC 75 What is sanctification?
A. Sanctification is a work of
God's grace, whereby they whom
God hath, before the foundation
of the world, chosen to be holy,
are in time, through the powerful
operation of his Spirit1 applying
the death and resurrection of
Christ unto them,2 renewed in
their whole man after the image
of God;3 having the seeds of repentance unto life, and all other
saving graces, put into their
hearts,4 and those graces so
stirred
up,
increased
and
strengthened,5 as that they more
and more die unto sin, and rise
unto newness of life.6

WSC 35 What is sanctification?
A. Sanctification is the work of
God's free grace,1 whereby we
are renewed in the whole man after the image of God,2 and are
enabled more and more to die
unto sin, and live unto righteousness.3

WLC 77 Wherein do justification and sanctification differ?
A. Although sanctification be inseparably joined with justification,1 yet they differ, in that God
in justification imputeth the
righteousness of Christ,2 in sanctification his Spirit infuseth grace,
and enableth to the exercise
thereof;3 in the former, sin is pardoned;4 in the other, it is subdued:5 the one doth equally free
all believers from the revenging
wrath of God, and that perfectly
in this life, that they never fall
into condemnation;6 the other is

1

2 Thess. 2:13
Eph. 4:23, 24
3
Rom. 6:4, 6; Rom. 8:1
2

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neither equal in all,7 nor in this
life perfect in any,8 but growing
up to perfection.9
1

WCF 13.2 This sanctification is
throughout in the whole man,1 yet
imperfect in this life; there abideth still some remnants of corruption in every part:2 whence
ariseth a continual and irreconcilable war; the flesh lusting against
the Spirit, and the Spirit against
the flesh.3
1

WCF 13.3 In which war, although the remaining corruption,
for a time, may much prevail,1
yet, through the continual supply
of strength from the sanctifying
Spirit of Christ, the regenerate
part doth overcome;2 and so, the
saints grow in grace,3 perfecting
holiness in the fear of God.4

WLC 78 Whence ariseth the imperfection of sanctification in believers?
A. The imperfection of sanctification in believers ariseth from the
remnants of sin abiding in every
part of them, and the perpetual
lustings of the flesh against the
spirit; whereby they are often
foiled with temptations, and fall
into many sins,1 are hindered in
all their spiritual services,2 and
their best works are imperfect and
defiled in the sight of God.3
1

WSC 36 What are the benefits
which in this life do accompany
or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification?
A. The benefits which in this life
do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification, are, assurance of God's love,
peace of conscience,1 joy in the
Holy Ghost,2 increase of grace,3
and perseverance therein to the
end.4
1

WLC 153 What doth God require of us, that we may escape
his wrath and curse due to us by
reason of the transgression of the
law?
A. That we may escape the wrath
and curse of God due to us by
reason of the transgression of the
law, he requireth of us repentance
toward God, and faith toward our
Lord Jesus Christ,1 and the diligent use of the outward means
whereby Christ communicates to
us the benefits of his mediation.2

WSC 85 What doth God require
of us, that we may escape his
wrath and curse due to us for sin?
A. To escape the wrath and curse
of God due to us for sin, God requireth of us faith in Jesus Christ,
repentance unto life,1 with the
diligent use of all the outward
means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption.2

1

2

WCF 14.1 The grace of faith,
whereby the elect are enabled to
believe to the saving of their
souls,1 is the work of the Spirit of
Christ in their hearts,2 and is ordinarily wrought by the ministry
of the Word:3 by which also, and
by the administration of the sacraments, and prayer, it is increased and strengthened.4
1

WCF 14.2 By this faith, a Christian believeth to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word, for
the authority of God Himself
speaking therein;1 and acteth differently upon that which each
particular passage thereof containeth; yielding obedience to the

WLC 72 What is justifying
faith?
A. Justifying faith is a saving
grace,1 wrought in the heart of a
sinner by the Spirit2 and word of
God,3 whereby he, being convinced of his sin and misery, and
of the disability in himself and all
other creatures to recover him out
of his lost condition,4 not only assenteth to the truth of the promise
of the gospel,5 but receiveth and
resteth upon Christ and his righteousness, therein held forth, for
pardon of sin,6 and for the accepting and accounting of his person
righteous in the sight of God for
salvation.7
1

1

WSC 86 What is faith in Jesus
Christ?
A. Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace,1 whereby we receive
and rest upon him alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in
the gospel.2
1
2

Heb. 10:39
John 1:12; Isa. 26:3, 4; Phil. 3:9; Gal.
2:16

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commands,2 trembling at the
threatenings,3 and embracing the
promises of God for this life and
that which is to come.4 But the
principal acts of saving faith are
accepting, receiving, and resting
upon Christ alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal
life, by virtue of the covenant of
grace.5

WLC 73 How doth faith justify a
sinner in the sight of God?
A. Faith justifies a sinner in the
sight of God, not because of
those other graces which do always accompany it, or of good
works that are the fruits of it,1 not
as if the grace of faith, or any act
thereof, were imputed to him for
his justification;2 but only as it is
an instrument by which he receiveth and applieth Christ and
his righteousness.3
1

WCF 14.3 This faith is different
in degrees, weak or strong;1 may
be often and many ways assailed
and weakened, but gets the victory;2 growing up in many to the
attainment of a full assurance
through Christ,3 who is both the
author and finisher of our faith.4
1

WLC 76 What is repentance
unto life?
A. Repentance unto life is a saving grace,1 wrought in the heart
of a sinner by the Spirit2 and
word of God,3 whereby out of the
sight and sense, not only of the
danger,4 but also of the filthiness
and odiousness of his sins,5 and
upon the apprehension of God's
mercy in Christ to such as are
penitent,6 he so grieves for7 and
hates his sins,8 as that he turns
from them all to God,9 purposing
and endeavouring constantly to
walk with him in all the ways of
new obedience.10

WSC 87 What is repentance unto
life?
A. Repentance unto life is a saving grace,1 whereby a sinner, out
of a true sense of his sin,2 and
apprehension of the mercy of
God in Christ,3 doth, with grief
and hatred of his sin, turn from it
unto God,4 with full purpose of,
and endeavour after, new obedience.5

WCF 15.1 Repentance unto life
is an evangelical grace,1 the doctrine whereof is to be preached by
every minister of the Gospel, as
well as that of faith in Christ.2
1
2

Zech. 12:10; Acts 11:18.
Luke 24:47; Mark 1:15; Acts 22:21.

WCF 15.2 By it, a sinner, out of
the sight and sense, not only of
the danger, but also of the filthiness and odiousness of his sins,
as contrary to the holy nature,
and righteous law of God; and
upon the apprehension of His
mercy in Christ to such as are
penitent, so grieves for and hates
his sins, as to turn from them all
unto God,1 purposing and endeavouring to walk with Him in
all the ways of His commandments.2
1

WCF 15.3 Although repentance
be not to be rested in, as any satisfaction for sin, or any cause of
the pardon thereof,1 which is the
act of God's free grace in Christ;2
yet it is of such necessity to all

WCF 15.5 Men ought not to
content themselves with a general
repentance, but it is every man's
duty to endeavour to repent of his
particular sins particularly.1
1

Ps. 19:13; Luke 19:8; 1 Tim. 1:13, 15.

WCF 15.6 As every man is
bound to make private confession
of his sins to God, praying for the
pardon thereof 1 upon which, and
the forsaking of them, he shall
find mercy;2 so he that scandalizeth his brother, or the Church of
Christ, ought to be willing, by a
private or public confession and
sorrow for his sin, to declare his
repentance to those that are offended;3 who are thereupon to be
reconciled to him, and in love to
receive him.4
1

Confession of Faith
WCF 16.1 Good works are only
such as God hath commanded in
His holy Word,1 and not such as,
without the warrant thereof, are
devised by men, out of blind zeal,
or upon any pretence of good intention.2
1
2

WCF 16.2 These good works,
done in obedience to God's commandments, are the fruits and
evidences of a true and lively
faith:1 and by them believers
manifest their thankfulness,2
strengthen their assurance,3 edify
their brethren,4 adorn the profession of the Gospel,5 stop the
mouths of the adversaries,6 and
glorify God,7 whose workmanship they are, created in Christ
Jesus thereunto;8 that, having
their fruit unto holiness, they may
have the end eternal life.9
1

WCF 16.3 Their ability to do
good works is not at all of themselves, but wholly from the Spirit
of Christ.1 And that they may be
enabled thereunto, beside the
graces they have already received, there is required an actual

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influence of the same Holy Spirit
to work in them to will and to do
of His good pleasure:2 yet are
they not hereupon to grow negligent, as if they were not bound to
perform any duty unless upon a
special motion of the Spirit; but
they ought to be diligent in stirring up the grace of God that is in
them.3
1

WCF 16.4 They who, in their
obedience, attain to the greatest
height which is possible in this
life, are so far from being able to
supererogate, and to do more than
God requires, as that they fall
short of much which in the duty
they are bound to do.1
1

Luke 17:10; Neh. 13:22; Job 9:2, 3; Gal.
5:17.

WCF 16.5 We cannot, by our
best works, merit pardon of sin,
or eternal life, at the hand of God,
by reason of the great disproportion that is between them and the
glory to come, and the infinite
distance that is between us and
God, whom by them, we can neither profit nor satisfy for the debt
of our former sins;1 but when we
have done all we can, we have
done but our duty, and are unprofitable servants;2 and because,
as they are good, they proceed
from His Spirit;3 and as they are
wrought by us, they are defiled,
and mixed with so much weakness and imperfection, that they
cannot endure the severity of
God's judgment.4
1

WLC 78 Whence ariseth the imperfection of sanctification in believers?
A. The imperfection of sanctification in believers ariseth from the
remnants of sin abiding in every
part of them, and the perpetual
lustings of the flesh against the
spirit; whereby they are often
foiled with temptations, and fall
into many sins,1 are hindered in
all their spiritual services,2 and
their best works are imperfect and
defiled in the sight of God.3
1

persons of believers being accepted through Christ, their good
works also are accepted in Him;1
not as though they were in this
life wholly unblameable and unreprovable in God's sight;2 but
that He, looking upon them in
His Son, is pleased to accept and
reward that which is sincere, although accompanied with many
weaknesses and imperfections.3
1

WCF 16.7 Works done by unregenerate men, although, for the
matter of them, they may be
things which God commands, and
of good use both to themselves
and others;1 yet, because they
proceed not from an heart purified by faith;2 nor are done in a
right manner, according to the
Word;3 nor to a right end, the
glory of God;4 they are therefore
sinful, and cannot please God, or
make a man meet to receive grace
from God.5 And yet, their neglect
of them is more sinful and displeasing unto God.6
1

Of the Perseverance of
the Saints
Confession of Faith Ch. 17;Larger Catechism 79

Confession of Faith

Larger Catechism

WCF 17.1 They, whom God
hath accepted in His Beloved, effectually called and sanctified by
His Spirit, can neither totally nor
finally fall away from the state of
grace; but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be
eternally saved.1

WLC 79 May not true believers,
by reason of their imperfections,
and the many temptations and
sins they are overtaken with, fall
away from the state of grace?
A. True believers, by reason of
the unchangeable love of God,1
and his decree and covenant to
give them perseverance,2 their inseparable union with Christ,3 his
continual intercession for them,4
and the Spirit and seed of God
abiding in them,5 can neither totally nor finally fall away from
the state of grace,6 but are kept by
the power of God through faith
unto salvation.7

1

Phil. 1:6; 2 Pet. 1:10; John 10:28, 29; 1
John 3:9; 1 Pet. 1:5, 9.

WCF 17.2 This perseverance of
the saints depends not upon their
own free will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election, flowing from the free and
unchangeable love of God the Father;1 upon the efficacy of the
merit and intercession of Jesus
Christ;2 the abiding of the Spirit,
and of the seed of God within
them;3 and the nature of the
covenant of grace:4 from all
which ariseth also the certainty
and infallibility thereof.5
1

into grievous sins;1 and, for a
time, continue therein:2 whereby
they incur God's displeasure,3 and
grieve His Holy Spirit,4 come to
be deprived of some measure of
their graces and comforts;5 have
their hearts hardened,6 and their
consciences wounded;7 hurt and
scandalize others,8 and bring
temporal judgments upon themselves.9
1

Of the Assurance of
Grace and Salvation
Confession of Faith Ch. 18;Larger Catechism 80-81

Confession of Faith

Larger Catechism

WCF 18.1 Although hypocrites
and other unregenerate men may
vainly deceive themselves with
false hopes and carnal presumptions of being in the favour of
God, and estate of salvation;1
which hope of theirs shall perish;2
yet such as truly believe in the
Lord Jesus, and love Him in sincerity, endeavouring to walk in
all good conscience before Him,
may, in this life, be certainly assured that they are in the state of
grace,3 and may rejoice in the
hope of the glory of God; which
hope shall never make them
ashamed.4

WLC 80 Can true believers be
infallibly assured that they are in
the estate of grace, and that they
shall persevere therein unto salvation?
A. Such as truly believe in Christ,
and endeavour to walk in all good
conscience before him,1 may,
without extraordinary revelation,
by faith grounded upon the truth
of God's promises, and by the
Spirit enabling them to discern in
themselves those graces to which
the promises of life are made,2
and bearing witness with their
spirits that they are the children
of God,3 be infallibly assured that
they are in the estate of grace,
and shall persevere therein unto
salvation.4

WCF 18.2 This certainty is not a
bare conjectural and probable
persuasion, grounded upon a fallible hope;1 but an infallible assurance of faith, founded upon
the divine truth of the promises of
salvation,2 the inward evidence of
those graces unto which these
promises are made,3 the testimony of the Spirit of adoption
witnessing with our spirits that
we are the children of God:4
which Spirit is the earnest of our
inheritance, whereby we are

WCF 18.3 This infallible assurance doth not so belong to the essence of faith, but that a true believer may wait long, and conflict
with many difficulties, before he
be partaker of it:1 yet, being enabled by the Spirit to know the
things which are freely given him
of God, he may, without extraordinary revelation, in the right use
of ordinary means, attain thereunto.2 And therefore it is the duty
of everyone to give all diligence
to make his calling and election
sure;3 that thereby his heart may
be enlarged in peace and joy in
the Holy Ghost, in love and
thankfulness to God, and in
strength and cheerfulness in the
duties of obedience,4 the proper
fruits of this assurance: so far is it
from inclining men to looseness.5
1

WCF 18.4 True believers may
have the assurance of their salvation divers ways shaken, diminished, and intermitted; as, by negligence in preserving of it; by falling into some special sin, which
woundeth the conscience and
grieveth the Spirit; by some sudden or vehement temptation; by
God's withdrawing the light of
His countenance, and suffering
even such as fear Him to walk in
darkness, and to have no light:1
yet are they never utterly destitute
of that seed of God, and life of

WLC 81 Are all true believers at
all times assured of their present
being in the estate of grace, and
that they shall be saved?
A. Assurance of grace and salvation not being of the essence of
faith,1 true believers may wait
long before they obtain it;2 and,
after the enjoyment thereof, may
have it weakened and intermitted,
through manifold distempers,
sins, temptations, and desertions;3
yet are they never left without
such a presence and support of
the Spirit of God as keeps them
from sinking into utter despair.4
1

faith, that love of Christ and the
brethren, that sincerity of heart
and conscience of duty, out of
which, by the operation of the
Spirit, this assurance may, in due
time, be revived;2 and by the
which, in the mean time, they are
supported from utter despair.3
1

WLC 91 What is the duty which
God requireth of man?
A. The duty which God requireth
of man, is obedience to his revealed will.1

WSC 39 What is the duty which
God requireth of man?
A. The duty which God requireth
of man, is obedience to his revealed will.1

1

WCF 19.1 God gave to Adam a
law, as a covenant of works, by
which He bound him and all his
posterity to personal, entire, exact, and perpetual obedience;
promised life upon the fulfilling,
and threatened death upon the
breach of it; and endued him with
power and ability to keep it.1
1

WLC 92 What did God at first
reveal unto man as the rule of his
obedience?
A. The rule of obedience revealed
to Adam in the estate of innocence, and to all mankind in him,
besides a special command not to
eat of the fruit of the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil was
the moral law.1
1

1

Micah 6:8; 1 Sam. 15:22

WSC 40 What did God at first
reveal to man for the rule of his
obedience?
A. The rule which God at first revealed to man for his obedience,
was the moral law.1
1

Rom. 2:14, 15; Rom. 10:5

Gen. 1:26, 27; Rom. 2:14, 15; Rom. 10:5;
Gen. 2:17

WLC 93 What is the moral law?
A. The moral law is the declaration of the will of God to mankind, directing and binding every
one to personal, perfect, and perpetual conformity and obedience
thereunto, in the frame and disposition of the whole man, soul and
body,1 and in performance of all
those duties of holiness and
righteousness which he oweth to
God and man:2 promising life
upon the fulfilling, and threatening death upon the breach of it.3
1

of righteousness; and, as such,
was delivered by God upon
Mount Sinai, in ten commandments, and written in two tables;1
the first four commandments containing our duty towards God;
and the other six, our duty to
man.2

A. The moral law is summarily
comprehended in the ten commandments, which were delivered by the voice of God upon
Mount Sinai, and written by him
in two tables of stone;1 and are
recorded in the twentieth chapter
of Exodus. The four first commandments containing our duty
to God, and the other six our duty
to man.2

WCF 19.3 Besides this law,
commonly called moral, God was
pleased to give to the people of
Israel, as a church under age,
ceremonial laws, containing several typical ordinances; partly of
worship, prefiguring Christ, His
graces, actions, sufferings, and
benefits;1 and partly of divers instructions of moral duties.2 All
which ceremonial laws are now
abrogated under the new testament.3
1

WCF 19.4 To them also, as a
body politic, He gave sundry judicial laws, which expired together with the state of that people, not obliging any other now,
further than the general equity
thereof may require.1
1

WCF 19.5 The moral law doth
for ever bind all, as well justified
persons as others, to the obedience thereof;1 and that, not only
in regard of the matter contained
in it, but also in respect of the authority of God, the Creator, who
gave it.2 Neither doth Christ, in
the Gospel, any way dissolve, but
much strengthen this obligation.3
1

Rom. 13:8, 9; Eph. 6:2; 1 John 2:3, 4, 7,
8.
2
James 2:10, 11.

Deut. 10:4; Exod. 34:1-4
Matt. 22:37-40

1

Deut. 10:4; Matt. 19:17

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Matt. 5:17, 18, 19; James 2:8; Rom. 3:31.

WLC 94 Is there any use of the
moral law to man since the fall?
A. Although no man, since the
fall, can attain to righteousness
and life by the moral law;1 yet
there is great use thereof, as well
common to all men, as peculiar
either to the unregenerate, or the
regenerate.2
1
2

Rom. 8:3; Gal. 2:16
1 Tim. 1:8

WLC 95 Of what use is the
moral law to all men ?
A. The moral law is of use to all
men, to inform them of the holy
nature and will of God,1 and of
their duty, binding them to walk
accordingly;2 to convince them of
their disability to keep it, and of
the sinful pollution of their nature, hearts, and lives;3 to humble
them in the sense of their sin and
misery,4 and thereby help them to
a clearer sight of the need they
have of Christ,5 and of the perfection of his obedience.6
1

WLC 96 What particular use is
there of the moral law to unregenerate men?
A. The moral law is of use to unregenerate men, to awaken their
consciences to flee from wrath to
come,1 and to drive them to
Christ,2 or, upon their continuance in the estate and way of sin,
to leave them inexcusable,3 and
under the curse thereof.4
1

1 Tim. 1:9, 10
Gal. 3:24
3
Rom. 1:20; Rom. 2:15
4
Gal. 3:10
2

WCF 19.6 Although true believers be not under the law as a
covenant of works, to be thereby
justified or condemned;1 yet is it
of great use to them, as well as to

WLC 97 What special use is
there of the moral law to the regenerate?
A. Although they that are regenerate, and believe in Christ, be

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others; in that, as a rule of life, informing them of the will of God
and their duty, it directs and
binds them to walk accordingly;2
discovering also the sinful pollutions of their nature, hearts, and
lives;3 so as, examining themselves thereby, they may come to
further conviction of, humiliation
for, and hatred against sin;4 together with a clearer sight of the
need they have of Christ, and the
perfection of His obedience.5 It is
likewise of use to regenerate, to
restrain their corruptions, in that
it forbids sin;6 and the threatenings of it serve to show what
even their sins deserve, and what
afflictions in this life they may
expect for them, although freed
from the curse thereof threatened
in the law.7 The promises of it, in
like manner, show them God's
approbation of obedience, and
what blessings they may expect
upon the performance thereof,8
although not as due to them by
the law as a covenant of works:9
so as a man's doing good, and refraining from evil because the
law encourageth to the one, and
deterreth from the other, is no
evidence of his being under the
law, and not under grace.10

delivered from the moral law as a
covenant of works,1 so as thereby
they are neither justified2 nor
condemned;3 yet, besides the
general uses thereof common to
them with all men, it is of special
use, to show them how much they
are bound to Christ for his fulfilling it, and enduring the curse
thereof in their stead, and for
their good;4 and thereby to provoke them to more thankfulness,5
and to express the same in their
greater care to conform themselves thereunto as the rule of
their obedience.6

WCF 19.7 Neither are the formentioned uses of the law contrary to the grace of the Gospel,
but do sweetly comply with it;1
the Spirit of Christ subduing and
enabling the will of man to do
that freely and cheerfully, which

WLC 99 What rules are to be
observed for the right understanding of the ten commandments?
A. For the right understanding of
the ten commandments, these
rules are to be observed:
1. That the law is perfect, and
bindeth everyone to full conformity in the whole man unto the
righteousness thereof, and unto
entire obedience for ever, so as to
require the utmost perfection of
every duty, and to forbid the least
degree of every sin.1
2. That it is spiritual, and so
reacheth the understanding, will,
affections, and all other powers
of the soul; as well as words,
works, and gestures.2
3. That one and the same thing,
in divers respects, is required or
forbidden in several commandments.3
4. That as, where a duty is
commanded, the contrary sin is
forbidden;4 and, where a sin is
forbidden, the contrary duty is
commanded;5 so, where a promise is annexed, the contrary
threatening is included;6 and
where a threatening is annexed,
the contrary promise is included.7
5. That what God forbids, is at
no time to be done;8 what he
commands, is always our duty;9
and yet every particular duty is
not to be done at all times.10
6. That under one sin or duty,
all of the same kind are forbidden
or commanded together with all
the causes, means, occasions and
appearances thereof, and provocations thereunto. 11
7. That what is forbidden or
commanded to ourselves, we are
bound, according to our places, to
endeavour that it may be avoided
or performed by others, according to the duty of their places.12
8. That in what is commanded

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to others, we are bound, according to our places and callings, to
be helpful to them;13 and to take
heed of partaking with others in
what is forbidden them.14
1

WLC 100 What special things
are we to consider in the ten
commandments?
A. We are to consider, in the ten
commandments, the preface, the
substance of the commandments
themselves, and several reasons
annexed to some of them, the
more to enforce them.
WLC 101 What is the preface to
the ten commandments?
A. The preface to the ten commandments is contained in these
words, I am the Lord thy God,
which have brought thee out of
the land of Egypt, out of the
house of bondage.1 Wherein God
manifesteth his sovereignty, as
being Jehovah, the eternal, immutable, and almighty God;2 having
his being in and of himself,3 and
giving being to all his words4 and
works:5 and that he is a God in
covenant, as with Israel of old, so
with all his people;6 who, as he
brought them out of their bondage in Egypt, so he delivereth us
from our spiritual thraldom;7 and

WSC 43 What is the preface to
the ten commandments?
A. The preface to the ten commandments is in these words, I
am the Lord thy God which have
brought thee out of the land of
Egypt, out of the house of bondage.1
1

Exod. 20:2

WSC 44 What doth the preface
to the ten commandments teach
us?
A. The preface to the ten commandments teacheth us, That because God is the Lord, and our
God, and Redeemer, therefore we
are bound to keep all his commandments.1

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that therefore we are bound to
take him for our God alone, and
to keep all his commandments.8

WLC 102 What is the sum of the
four commandments which contain our duty to God?
A. The sum of the four commandments containing our duty
to God, is, to love the Lord our
God with all our heart, and with
all our soul and with all our
strength, and with all our mind.1
1

Exod. 20:3

WLC 104 What are the duties
required in the first commandment?
A. The duties required in the first
commandment are, the knowing
and acknowledging of God to be
the only true God, and our God;1
and to worship and glorify him
accordingly,2 by thinking,3 meditating,4 remembering,5 highly esteeming,6 honouring,7 adoring,8
choosing,9 loving,10 desiring,11
fearing of him;12 believing him;13
trusting,14 hoping,15 delighting,16
rejoicing in him;17 being zealous
for him;18 calling upon him, giving all praise and thanks,19 and
yielding all obedience and submission to him with the whole
man;20 being careful in all things
to please him,21 and sorrowful
when in any thing he is offended;22 and walking humbly
with him.23
1

1

Matt. 22:37-40

Luke 10:27

WLC 103 Which is the first
commandment?
A. The first commandment is,
Thou shalt have no other gods
before me.1
1

WSC 42 What is the sum of the
ten commandments?
A. The sum of the ten commandments is, To love the Lord
our God with all our heart, with
all our soul, with all our strength,
and with all our mind; and our
neighbor as ourselves.1

1 Chron. 28:9; Deut. 26:17; Isa. 43:10;
Jer. 14:22

WSC 45 Which is the first commandment?
A. The first commandment is,
Thou shalt have no other gods
before me.1
1

Exod. 20:3

WSC 46 What is required in the
first commandment?
A. The first commandment requireth us to know and acknowledge God to be the only true God,
and our God;1 and to worship and
glorify him accordingly.2
1
2

WLC 105 What are the sins forbidden in the first commandment?
A. The sins forbidden in the first
commandment are, Atheism, in
denying, or not having a God;1
Idolatry, in having or worshipping more gods than one, or any
with or instead of the true God;2
the not having and avouching
him for God, and our God;3 the
omission or neglect of any thing
due to him, required in this commandment;4 ignorance,5 forgetfulness,6 misapprehensions,7 false
opinions,8 unworthy and wicked
thoughts of him;9 bold and curious searching into his secrets;10
all profaneness,11 hatred of
God;12 self-love,13 self-seeking,14
and all other inordinate and immoderate setting of our mind,
will, or affections upon other
things, and taking them off from
him in whole or in part;15 vain
credulity,16 unbelief,17 heresy,18
misbelief,19 distrust,20 despair,21
incorrigibleness22 and insensibleness under judgments23, hardness
of heart,24 pride,25 presumption,26
carnal security,27 tempting of
God;28 using unlawful means,29
and trusting in unlawful means;30
carnal delights and joys;31 corrupt, blind, and indiscreet zeal;32

WSC 47 What is forbidden in
the first commandment?
A. The first commandment forbiddeth the denying,1 or not worshipping and glorifying the true
God as God,2 and our God;3 and
the giving of that worship and
glory to any other, which is due
to him alone.4
1

Ps. 14:1
Rom. 1:21
3
Ps. 81:10, 11
4
Rom. 1:25, 26
2

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lukewarmness,33 and deadness in
the things of God;34 estranging
ourselves, and apostatizing from
God;35 praying, or giving any religious worship, to saints, angels,
or any other creatures;36 all compacts and consulting with the
devil,37 and hearkening to his
suggestions;38 making men the
lords of our faith and conscience;39 slighting and despising
God and his commands;40 resisting and grieving of his Spirit,41
discontent and impatience at his
dispensations, charging him foolishly for the evils he inflicts on
us;42 and ascribing the praise of
any good we either are, have, or
can do, to fortune,43 idols,44 ourselves,45 or any other creature.46
1

WLC 106 What are we specially
taught by these words [before
me] in the first commandment?
A. These words [before me], or
before my face, in the first commandment, teach us that God,
who seeth all things, taketh special notice of, and is much displeased with, the sin of having
any other God: that so it may be
an argument to dissuade from it,
and to aggravate it as a most impudent provocation:1 as also to
persuade us to do as in his sight,
whatever we do in his service.2
1
2

1

Ezek. 8:5, 6; Ps. 46:20, 21

Ezek. 8:5, 6; Ps. 44:20, 21
1 Chron. 28:9

WLC 107 Which is the second
commandment?
A. The second commandment is,
Thou shalt not make unto thee
any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven
above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow
down thyself to them, not serve
them: for I the Lord thy God am a
jealous God, visiting the iniquity
of the fathers upon the children
unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, and
showing mercy unto thousands of
them that love me, and keep my
commandments.1
1

WSC 48 What are we specially
taught by these words [before
me] in the first commandment?
A. These words [before me] in
the first commandment teach us,
That God, who seeth all things,
taketh notice of, and is much displeased with, the sin of having
any other God.1

Exod. 20:4, 5, 6

WLC 108 What are the duties
required in the second commandment?
A. The duties required in the second commandment are, the receiving, observing, and keeping
pure and entire, all such religious
worship and ordinances as God

WSC 49 Which is the second
commandment?
A. The second commandment is,
Thou shalt not make unto thee
any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven
above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow
down thyself to them, nor serve
them: for I the Lord thy God am a
jealous God, visiting the iniquity
of the fathers upon the children
unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and
showing mercy unto thousands of
them that love me, and keep my
commandments.1
1

Exod. 20:4, 5, 6

WSC 50 What is required in the
second commandment?
A. The second commandment requireth the receiving, observing,
and keeping pure and entire, all
such religious worship and ordinances as God hath appointed in
his word.1
1

Deut. 32:46; Matt. 28:20; Acts 2:42

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hath instituted in his word;1 particularly prayer and thanksgiving
in the name of Christ;2 the reading, preaching, and hearing of the
word;3 the administration and receiving of the sacraments;4
church government and discipline;5 the ministry and maintenance thereof;6 religious fasting;7
swearing by the name of God,8
and vowing unto him:9 as also the
disapproving, detesting, opposing, all false worship;10 and, according to each one's place and
calling, removing it, and all
monuments of idolatry.11
1

WLC 109 What are the sins forbidden in the second commandment?
A. The sins forbidden in the second commandment are, all devising,1 counselling,2 commanding,3
using,4 and any wise approving,
any religious worship not instituted by God himself;5 tolerating
a false religion;6 the making any
representation of God, of all or of
any of the three persons, either
inwardly in our mind, or outwardly in any kind of image or
likeness of any creature whatsoever;7 all worshipping of it,8 or
God in it or by it;9 the making of
any representation of feigned deities,10 and all worship of them, or
service belonging to them;11 all
superstitious devices,12 corrupting
the worship of God,13 adding to
it, or taking from it,14 whether invented and taken up of our-

WSC 51 What is forbidden in
the second commandment?
A. The second commandment
forbiddeth the worshipping of
God by images,1 or any other way
not appointed in his word.2

1
2

Deut. 4:15-19; Exod. 32:5, 8
Deut. 12:31, 32

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selves,15 or received by tradition
from others,16 though under the
title of antiquity,17 custom,18 devotion,19 good intent, or any other
pretence whatsoever;20 simony;21
sacrilege;22 all neglect,23 contempt,24 hindering,25 and opposing the worship and ordinances
which God hath appointed.26
1

WLC 110 What are the reasons
annexed to the second commandment, the more to enforce
it?
A. The reasons annexed to the
second commandment, the more
to enforce it, contained in these
words, For I the Lord thy God
am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the
children unto the third and fourth
generation of them that hate me;
and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and
keep my commandments;1 are,
besides God's sovereignty over
us, and propriety in us,2 his fervent zeal for his own worship,3
and his revengeful indignation
against all false worship as being
a spiritual whoredom;4 account-

WSC 52 What are the reasons
annexed to the second commandment?
A. The reasons annexed to the
second commandment are, God's
sovereignty over us,1 his propriety in us,2 and the zeal he hath to
his own worship.3
1
2
3

Ps. 95:2, 6
Ps. 45:11
Exod. 34:13, 14

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ing the breakers of this commandment such as hate him, and
threatening to punish them unto
divers generations;5 and esteeming the observers of it such as
love him and keep his commandments, and promising mercy
to them unto many generations.6
1

WLC 111 Which is the third
commandment?
A. The third commandment is,
Thou shalt not take the name of
the Lord thy God in vain, for the
Lord will not hold him guiltless
that taketh his name in vain.1
1

Exod. 20:7

WLC 112 What is required in
the third commandment?
A. The third commandment requires, That the name of God, his
titles, attributes,1 ordinances,2 the
word,3 sacraments,4 prayer,5
oaths,6 vows,7 lots,8 his works,9
and whatsoever else there is
whereby he makes himself
known, be holily and reverently
used in thought,10 meditation,11
word,12 and writing;13 by an holy
profession,14 and answerable
conversation,15 to the glory of
God,16 and the good of ourselves,17 and others.18
1

WLC 113 What are the sins forbidden in the third commandment?
A. The sins forbidden in the third
commandments are, the not using
of God's name as is required;1
and the abuse of it in an ignorant,2 vain,3 irreverent, profane,4
superstitious,5 or wicked mentioning, or otherwise using his titles, attributes,6 ordinances,7 or
works,8 by blasphemy,9 perjury;10
all sinful cursings,11 oaths,12
vows,13 and lots;14 violating of
our oaths and vows, if lawful;15
and fulfilling them, if of things
unlawful;16 murmuring and quarrelling at,17 curious prying into,18
and misapplying of God's decrees19 and providences,20 misinterpreting,21 misapplying,22 or
any way perverting the word, or
any part of it,23 to profane jests,24
curious or unprofitable questions,
vain janglings, or the maintaining
of false doctrines;25 abusing it,
the creatures, or any thing contained under the name of God, to
charms,26 or sinful lusts and practices;27 the maligning,28 scorning,29 reviling,30 or any wise opposing of God's truth, grace, and
ways;31 making profession of religion in hypocrisy, or for sinister
ends;32 being ashamed of it,33 or a
shame to it, by unconformable,34
unwise,35 unfruitful,36 and offensive walking,37or backsliding
from it.38
1

WLC 114 What reasons are annexed to the third commandment?
A. The reasons annexed to the
third commandment, in these
words, [The Lord thy God], and,
[For the Lord will not hold him
guiltless that taketh his name in
vain1], are because he is the Lord
and our God, therefore his name
is not to be profaned, or any way
abused by us;2 especially because
he will be so far from acquitting
and sparing the transgressors of
this commandment, as that he
will not suffer them to escape his
righteous judgment,3 albeit many
such escape the censures and
punishments of men.4

WSC 56 What is the reason annexed to the third commandment?
A. The reason annexed to the
third commandment is, That
however the breakers of this
commandment may escape punishment from men, yet the Lord
our God will not suffer them to
escape his righteous judgment.1
1

WLC 115 Which is the fourth
commandment?
A. The fourth commandment is,
Remember the sabbath-day, to
keep it holy. Six days shalt thy labour, and do all thy work: but the

WSC 57 Which is the fourth
commandment?
A. The fourth commandment is,
Remember the sabbath-day to
keep it holy. Six days shalt thou
labour, and do all thy work: but

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seventh day is the sabbath of the
Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not
do any work, thou, nor thy son,
nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maid-servant,
nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger
that is within thy gates: For in six
days the Lord made heaven and
earth, the sea, and all that in
them is, and rested the seventh
day: wherefore the Lord blessed
the sabbath-day, and hallowed
it.1

the seventh day is the sabbath of
the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt
not do any work, thou, nor thy
son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maid-servant,
nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger
that is within thy gates: For in six
days the Lord made heaven and
earth, the sea, and all that in
them is, and rested the seventh
day: wherefore the Lord blessed
the sabbath-day, and hallowed
it.1

1

[WCF 21.7 As it is the law of nature, that, in general, a due proportion of time be set apart for
the worship of God; so, in His
Word, by a positive, moral, and
perpetual commandment binding
all men in all ages, He hath particularly appointed one day in
seven, for a Sabbath, to be kept
holy unto Him:1 which, from the
beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, was the last
day of the week; and, from the
resurrection of Christ, was
changed into the first day of the
week,2 which, in Scripture, is
called the Lord's Day,3 and is to
be continued to the end of the
world, as the Christian Sabbath.4
1

WLC 116 What is required in
the fourth commandment?
A. The fourth commandment requireth of all men the sanctifying
or keeping holy to God such set
times as he hath appointed in his
word, expressly one whole day in
seven; which was the seventh
from the beginning of the world
to the resurrection of Christ, and
the first day of the week ever
since, and so to continue to the
end of the world; which is the
Christian sabbath,1 and in the
New Testament called The Lord's
day.2
1

[WCF 21.8 This Sabbath is then
kept holy unto the Lord, when
men, after a due preparing of
their hearts, and ordering of their
common affairs beforehand, do
not only observe an holy rest, all
the day, from their own works,
words, and thoughts about their
worldly employments and recreations;1 but also are taken up, the
whole time, in the public and private exercises of His worship,
and in the duties of necessity and
mercy.2
1

WSC 58 What is required in the
fourth commandment?
A. The fourth commandment requireth the keeping holy to God
such set times as he hath appointed in his word; expressly
one whole day in seven, to be a
holy sabbath to himself.1
1

Deut. 5:12, 13, 14

WSC 59 Which day of the seven
hath God appointed to be the
weekly sabbath?
A. From the beginning of the
world to the resurrection of
Christ, God appointed the seventh day of the week to be the
weekly sabbath; and the first day
of the week ever since, to continue to the end of the world,
which is the Christian sabbath.1
1

WLC 117 How is the sabbath or
the Lord's day to be sanctified?
A. The sabbath or Lord's day is to
be sanctified by an holy resting
all the day,1 not only from such
works as are at all times sinful,
but even from such worldly employments and recreations as are
on other days lawful;2 and making it our delight to spend the
whole time except so much of it
as is to be taken up in works of
necessity and mercy3 in the publick and private exercises of
God's worship:4 and, to that end,

Exod. 20:8-11

Gen. 2:2, 3; 1 Cor. 16:1, 2; Acts 20:7

WSC 60 How is the sabbath to
be sanctified?
A. The sabbath is to be sanctified
by a holy resting all that day,1
even from such worldly employments and recreations as are lawful on other days;2 and spending
the whole time in the publick and
private exercises of God's worship,3 except so much as is to be
taken up in the works of necessity
and mercy.4
1

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we are to prepare our hearts, and
with such foresight, diligence,
and moderation, to dispose and
seasonably dispatch our worldly
business, that we may be the
more free and fit for the duties of
that day.5

WLC 118 Why is the charge of
keeping the sabbath more specially directed to governors of
families, and other superiors?
A. The charge of keeping the
sabbath is more specially directed
to governors of families, and
other superiors, because they are
bound not only to keep it themselves but to see that it is observed by all those that are under
their charge; and because they are
prone ofttimes to hinder them by
employments of their own.1
1

WLC 119 What are the sins forbidden in the fourth commandment?
A. The sins forbidden in the
fourth commandment are, all
omissions of the duties required,1
all careless, negligent, and unprofitable performing of them,
and being weary of them;2 all
profaning the day by idleness,
and doing that which is in itself
sinful;3 and by all needless
works, words, and thoughts,
about our worldly employments
and recreations.4

WSC 61 What is forbidden in
the fourth commandment?
A. The fourth commandment forbiddeth the omission or careless
performance of the duties required,1 and the profaning the day
by idleness,2 or doing that which
is in itself sinful,3 or by unnecessary thoughts, words, or works,
about our worldly employments
or recreations.4
1

annexed to the fourth commandment, the more to enforce it?
A. The reasons annexed to the
fourth commandment, the more
to enforce it, are taken from the
equity of it, God allowing us six
days of seven for our own affairs,
and reserving but one for himself,
in these words, Six days shalt
thou labour, and do all thy
work:1 from God's challenging a
special propriety in that day, The
seventh day is the sabbath of the
Lord thy God:2 from the example
of God, who in six days made
heaven and earth, the sea, and all
that in them is, and rested the
seventh day: and from that blessing which God put upon that day,
not only in sanctifying it to be a
day for his service, but in ordaining it to be a means of blessing to
use in our sanctifying it, Wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbathday, and hallowed it.3

annexed to the fourth commandment?
A. The reasons annexed to the
fourth commandment are, God's
allowing us six days of the week
for our own employments,1 his
challenging a special propriety in
the seventh, his own example,
and his blessing the sabbath-day.2

1

Exod. 20:9
Exod. 20:10
3
Exod. 20:11
2

WLC 121 Why is the word Remember set in the beginning of
the fourth commandment?
A. The word Remember is set in
the beginning of the fourth commandment,1 partly, because of the
great benefit of remembering it,
we being thereby helped in our
preparation to keep it,2 and, in
keeping it, better to keep all the
rest of the commandments,3 and
to continue a thankful remembrance of the two great benefits
of creation and redemption,
which contain a short abridgment
of religion;4 and partly, because
we are very ready to forget it,5 for
that there is less light of nature
for it,6 and yet it restraineth our
natural liberty in things at other
times lawful;7 that it cometh but
once in seven days, and many
worldly businesses come between, and too often take off our
minds from thinking of it, either

1
2

Exod. 20:9
Exod. 20:11

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to prepare for it, or to sanctify it;8
and that Satan with his instruments much labour to blot out the
glory, and even the memory of it,
to bring in all irreligion and impiety.9
1

WLC 122 What is the sum of the
six commandments which contain
our duty to man?
A. The sum of the six commandments which contain our duty to
man, is, to love our neighbour as
ourselves,1 and to do to others
what we would have them to do
to us.2

WSC 42 What is the sum of the
ten commandments?
A. The sum of the ten commandments is, To love the Lord
our God with all our heart, with
all our soul, with all our strength,
and with all our mind; and our
neighbor as ourselves.1
1

Matt. 22:37-40

1

Matt. 22:39
2
Matt. 7:12

WLC 123 Which is the fifth
commandment?
A. The fifth commandment is,
Honour thy father and thy
mother: that thy days may be
long upon the land which the
Lord thy God giveth thee.1
1

Exod. 20:12

WLC 124 Who are meant by father and mother in the fifth commandment?
A. By father and mother, in the
fifth commandment, are meant,
not only natural parents,1 but all
superiors in age,2 and gifts;3 and
especially such as, by God's ordinance, are over us in place of authority, whether in family,4
church,5 or commonwealth.6
1

WSC 63 Which is the fifth
commandment?
A. The fifth commandment is,
Honour thy father and thy
mother; that thy days may be
long upon the land which the
Lord thy God giveth thee.1
1

Exod. 20:12

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WLC 125 Why are superiors
stiled Father and Mother?
A. Superiors are stiled Father and
Mother, both to teach them in all
duties towards their inferiors, like
natural parents, to express love
and tenderness to them, according
to their several relations;1 and to
work inferiors to a greater willingness and cheerfulness in performing their duties to their superiors, as to their parents.2
1

WLC 126 What is the general
scope of the fifth commandment?
A. The general scope of the fifth
commandment is, the performance of those duties which we
mutually owe in our several relations, as inferiors, superiors, or
equals.1
1

Eph. 5:21; 1 Pet. 2:17; Rom. 12:10

WLC 127 What is the honour
that inferiors owe to their superiors?
A. The honour which inferiors
owe to their superiors is, all due
reverence in heart,1 word,2 and
behaviour;3 prayer and thanksgiving for them;4 imitation of their
virtues and graces;5 willing obedience to their lawful commands
and counsels,6 due submission to
their corrections;7 fidelity to,8 defence,9 and maintenance of their
persons and authority according
to their several ranks, and the nature of their places;10 bearing
with their infirmities, and covering them in love,11 that so they
may be an honour to them and to
their government.12
1

WSC 64 What is required in the
fifth commandment?
A. The fifth commandment requireth the preserving the honour,
and performing the duties, belonging to every one in their several places and relations, as superiors,1 inferiors,2 or equals.3
1

WLC 128 What are the sins of
inferiors against their superiors?
A. The sins of inferiors against
their superiors are, all neglect of
the duties required toward them;1
envying at,2 contempt of,3 and rebellion4 against, their persons5
and places,6 in their lawful counsels,7 commands, and corrections;8 cursing, mocking,9 and all
such refractory and scandalous
carriage, as proves a shame and
dishonour to them and their government.10
1

WLC 129 What is required of
superiors towards their inferiors?
A. It is required of superiors according to that power they receive from God, and that relation
wherein they stand, to love,1 pray
for,2 and bless their inferiors,3 to
instruct,4 counsel, and admonish
them;5 countenancing,6 commending,7 and rewarding such as
do well;8 and discountenancing,9
reproving, and chastising such as
do ill;10 protecting,11 and providing for them all things necessary
for soul12 and body:13 and by
grave, wise, holy, and exemplary
carriage, to procure glory to
God,14 honour to themselves,15
and so to preserve that authority
which God hath put upon them.16
1

WSC 65 What is forbidden in
the fifth commandment?
A. The fifth commandment forbiddeth the neglecting of, or doing any thing against, the honour
and duty which belongeth to
every one in their several places
and relations.1
1

WLC 130 What are the sins of
superiors?
A. The sins of superiors are, besides the neglect of the duties required of them,1 an inordinate
seeking of themselves,2 their own
glory,3 ease, profit, or pleasure,4
commanding things unlawful,5 or
not in the power of inferiors to
perform;6 counselling,7 encouraging,8 or favouring them in that
which is evil;9 dissuading, discouraging, or discountenancing
them in that which is good;10 correcting them unduly;11 careless
exposing, or leaving them to
wrong, temptation, and danger;12
provoking them to wrath;13 or any
way dishonouring themselves, or
lessening their authority, by an
unjust, indiscreet, rigorous, or
remiss behaviour.14
1

WLC 131 What are the duties of
equals?
A. The duties of equals are, to regard the dignity and worth of
each other,1 in giving honour to
go one before another;2 and to rejoice in each others gifts and advancement, as their own.3
1
2

1 Pet. 2:17
Rom. 12:10

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3

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Rom. 12:15, 16; Phil. 2:3, 4

WLC 132 What are the sins of
equals?
A. The sins of equals are, besides
the neglect of the duties required,1 the undervaluing of the
worth,2 envying the gifts,3 grieving at the advancement of prosperity one of another;4 and usurping pre-eminence one over another.5
1

WLC 133 What is the reason annexed to the fifth commandment,
the more to enforce it?
A. The reason annexed to the
fifth commandment, in these
words, That thy days may be long
upon the land which the Lord thy
God giveth thee,1 is an express
promise of long life and prosperity, as far as it shall serve for
God's glory and their own good,
to all such as keep this commandment.2
1
2

WSC 66 What is the reason annexed to the fifth commandment?
A. The reasons annexed to the
fifth commandment, is a promise
of long life and prosperity (as far
as it shall serve for God's glory
and their own good) to all such as
keep this commandment.1

Exod. 20:13

WLC 135 What are the duties
required in the sixth commandment?
A. The duties required in the
sixth commandment are, all careful studies, and lawful endeavours, to preserve the life of ourselves1 and others2 by resisting all
thoughts and purposes,3 subduing
all passions,4 and avoiding all occasions,5 temptations,6 and practices, which tend to the unjust
taking away the life of any;7 by
just defence thereof against violence,8 patient bearing of the

WSC 68 What is required in the
sixth commandment?
A. The sixth commandment requireth all lawful endeavours to
preserve our own life,1 and the
life of others.2
1
2

Eph. 5:28, 29
1 Kings 18:4

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hand of God,9 quietness of
mind,10 cheerfulness of spirit;11 a
sober use of meat,12 drink,13
physick,14 sleep,15 labour,16 and
by
charitable
recreations;17
thoughts,18 love,19 compassion,20
meekness, gentleness,21 kindness;
peaceable,22 mild and courteous
speeches and behaviour;23 forbearance, readiness to be reconciled, patient bearing and forgiving of injuries, and requiting
good for evil;24 comforting and
succouring the distressed, and
protecting and defending the innocent.25
1

WLC 136 What are the sins forbidden in the sixth commandment?
A. The sins forbidden in the sixth
commandment are, all taking
away the life of ourselves,1 or of
others,2 except in case of publick
justice,3 lawful war,4 or necessary
defence;5 the neglecting or withdrawing the lawful and necessary
means of preservation of life;6
sinful anger,7 hatred,8 envy,9 desire of revenge;10 all excessive

WSC 69 What is forbidden. in
the sixth commandment?
A. The sixth commandment forbiddeth the taking away of our
own life, or the life of our
neighbour unjustly, or whatsoever tendeth thereunto.1

1

Acts 16:28; Gen. 9:6

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passions,11 distracting cares;12
immoderate use of meat, drink,13
labour,14 and recreations;15 provoking words,16 oppression,17
quarrelling,18 striking, wounding
,19 and whatsoever else tends to
the destruction of the life of
any.20
1

WLC 138 What are the duties
required in the seventh commandment?
A. The duties required in the seventh commandment are, chastity
in body, mind, affections,1
words,2 and behaviour;3 and the
preservation of it in ourselves and
others;4 watchfulness over the
eyes and all the senses;5 temperance,6 keeping of chaste company,7 modesty in apparel;8 marriage by those that have not the
gift of continency;9 conjugal
love,10 and cohabitation;11 diligent labour in our callings;12
shunning all occasions of uncleanness, and resisting temptations thereunto.13
1

WLC 139 What are the sins forbidden in the seventh commandment?
A. The sins forbidden in the seventh commandment, besides the
neglect of the duties required,1
are adultery, fornication,2 rape,
incest,3 sodomy, and all unnatural
lusts;4 all unclean imaginations,
thoughts, purposes, and affections;5 all corrupt or filthy communications, or listening thereunto;6 wanton looks,7 impudent
or light behaviour, immodest apparel;8 prohibiting of lawful,9 and
dispensing with unlawful marriages;10 allowing, tolerating,
keeping of stews, and resorting to
them;11 entangling vows of single
life,12 undue delay of marriage;13
having more wives or husbands
than one at the same time;14 unjust divorce,15 or desertion;16
idleness, gluttony, drunkenness,17
unchaste company,18 lascivious
songs, books, pictures, dancings,
stage plays;19 and all other provocations to, or acts of uncleanness,
either in ourselves or others.20
1

WLC 141 What are the duties
required in the eighth commandment?
A. The duties required in the
eighth commandment are, truth,
faithfulness, and justice in contracts and commerce between
man and man,1 rendering to every
one his due;2 restitution of goods
unlawfully detained from the
right owners thereof;3 giving and
lending freely, according to our
abilities, and the necessities of
others;4 moderation of our judgments, wills and affections concerning worldly goods;5 a provident care and study to get,6 keep,
use, and dispose these things
which are necessary and convenient for the sustentation of our nature, and suitable to our condition;7 a lawful calling,8 and diligence in it;9 frugality,10 avoiding
unnecessary law-suits,11 and
suretiship, or other like engagements;12 and an endeavour, by all
just and lawful means, to procure,
preserve, and further the wealth
and outward estate of others, as
well as our own.13
1

WLC 142 What are the sins forbidden in the eighth commandment?
A. The sins forbidden in the
eighth commandment, besides the
neglect of the duties required,1
are, theft,2 robbery,3 manstealing,4 and receiving any thing that
is stolen;5 fraudulent dealing,6
false weights and measures,7 removing land-marks,8 injustice
and unfaithfulness in contracts
between man and man,9 or in
matters of trust;10 oppression,11
extortion,12 usury,13 bribery,14
vexatious lawsuits,15 unjust inclosures and depopulations;16 ingrossing commodities to enhance
the price;17 unlawful callings,18
and all other unjust or sinful ways
of taking or withholding from our
neighbour what belongs to him,
or of enriching ourselves;19 covetousness;20 inordinate prizing
and affecting worldly goods;21
distrustful and distracting cares
and studies in getting, keeping,
and using them;22 envying at the
prosperity of others;23 as likewise
idleness,24 prodigality, wasteful
gaming; and all other ways
whereby we do unduly prejudice
our own outward estate,25 and defrauding ourselves of the due use
and comfort of that estate which
God hath given us.26
1

WLC 144 What are the duties
required in the ninth commandment?
A. The duties required in the
ninth commandment are, the preserving and promoting of truth
between man and man,1 and the
good name of our neighbour, as
well as our own;2 appearing and
standing for the truth;3 and from
the heart,4 sincerely,5 freely,6
clearly,7 and fully,8 speaking the
truth, and only the truth, in matters of judgment and justice,9 and
in all other things whatsoever;10 a
charitable
esteem
of
our
neighbours;11 loving, desiring,
and rejoicing in their good
name;12 sorrowing for,13 and covering of their infirmities;14 freely
acknowledging of their gifts and
graces,15 defending their innocency;16 a ready receiving of a
good report,17 and unwillingness
to admit of an evil report,18 concerning them; discouraging talebearers,19 flatterers,20 and slanderers;21 love and care of our own
good name, and defending it
when need requireth;22 keeping of
lawful promises;23 studying and
practising of whatsoever things
are true, honest, lovely, and of
good report.24
1

WSC 77 What is required in the
ninth commandment?
A. The ninth commandment requireth the maintaining and promoting of truth between man and
man,1 and of our own and our
neighbour's good name,2 especially in witness-bearing.3
1

WLC 145 What are the sins forbidden in the ninth commandment?
A. The sins forbidden in the ninth
commandment are, all prejudicing the truth, and the good name
of our neighbours, as well as our
own,1 especially in public judicature;2 giving false evidence,3 suborning false witnesses,4 wittingly
appearing and pleading for an
evil cause, out-facing and overbearing the truth;5 passing unjust
sentence,6 calling evil good, and
good evil; rewarding the wicked
according to the work of the
righteous, and the righteous according to the work of the
wicked;7 forgery,8 concealing the
truth, undue silence in a just
cause,9 and holding our peace
when iniquity calleth for either a
reproof from ourselves,10 or complaint to others;11 speaking the
truth unseasonably,12 or maliciously to a wrong end,13 or perverting it to a wrong meaning,14
or in doubtful and equivocal expressions, to the prejudice of
truth or justice;15 speaking untruth,16 lying,17 slandering,18
backbiting,19 detracting,20 talebearing,21 whispering,22 scoffing,23 reviling,24 rash,25 harsh,26
and partial censuring;27 misconstructing intentions, words, and
flattering,29
vainactions;28

WSC 78 What is forbidden in
the ninth commandment?
A. The ninth commandment forbiddeth whatsoever is prejudicial
to truth, or injurious to our own
or our neighbour's good name.1

1

1 Sam. 17:28; Lev. 19:16; Ps. 15:3

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glorious boasting,30 thinking or
speaking too highly or too
meanly of ourselves or others;31
denying the gifts and graces of
aggravating
smaller
God;32
faults;33 hiding, excusing, or extenuating of sins, when called to
a free confession;34 unnecessary
discovering of infirmities;35 raising false rumours,36 receiving and
countenancing evil reports,37 and
stopping our ears against just defence;38 evil suspicion;39 envying
or grieving at the deserved credit
of any,40 endeavouring or desiring to impair it,41 rejoicing in
their disgrace and infamy;42
scornful contempt,43 fond admiration;44 breach of lawful promises;45 neglecting such things as
are of good report,46 and practising, or not avoiding ourselves, or
not hindering what we can in others, such things as procure an ill
name.47
1

WLC 147 What are the duties
required in the tenth commandment?
A. The duties required in the
tenth commandment are, such a
full contentment with our own
condition,1 and such a charitable
frame of the whole soul toward
our neighbour, as that all our inward motions and affections
touching him, tend unto, and further all that good which is his.2
1
2

WSC 80 What is required in the
tenth commandment?
A. The tenth commandment requireth full contentment with our
own condition,1 with a right and
charitable frame of spirit toward
our neighbour, and all that is his.2
1
2

WLC 148 What are the sins forbidden in the tenth commandment?
A. The sins forbidden in the tenth
commandment are, discontentment with our own estate;1 envying2 and grieving at the good of
our neighbour,3 together with all

WSC 81 What is forbidden in
the tenth commandment?
A. The tenth commandment forbiddeth all discontentment with
our own estate,1 envying or grieving at the good of our neighbour,2
and all inordinate motions and affections to any thing that is his.3

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inordinate motions and affections
to any thing that is his.4
1

WLC 149 Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments
of God?
A. No man is able, either of himself,1 or by any grace received in
this life, perfectly to keep the
commandments of God;2 but doth
daily break them in thought,3
word, and deed.4

WSC 82 Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments
of God?
A. No mere man since the fall is
able in this life perfectly to keep
the commandments of God,1 but
doth daily break them in thought,
word, and deed.2
1

WLC 150 Are all transgressions
of the law of God equally heinous
in themselves, and in the sight of
God?
A. All transgressions of the law
of God are not equally heinous,
but some sins in themselves, and
by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the
sight of God than others.1

WSC 83 Are all transgressions
of the law equally heinous?
A. Some sins in themselves, and
by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the
sight of God than others.1

WLC 151 What are those aggravations that make some sins more
heinous than others?
A. Sins receive their aggravations
1. From the persons offending:1 if
they be of riper age,2 greater experience or grace,3 eminent for
profession,4 gifts,5 place,6 office,7
guides to others,8 and whose example is likely to be followed by
others.9
2. From the parties offended:10 if
immediately against God,11 his attributes,12 and worship;13 against
Christ, and his grace;14 the Holy
Spirit,15 his witness,16 and workings;17 against superiors, men of
eminency,18 and such as we stand
especially related and engaged
unto;19 against any of the saints,20

1

Ezek. 8:6, 13, 15; 1 John 5:16; Ps. 78:17,
32, 56

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particularly weak brethren,21 the
souls of them, or any other,22 and
the common good of all or
many.23
3. From the nature and quality of
the offence:24 if it be against the
express letter of the law,25 break
many commandments, contain in
it many sins:26 if not only conceived in the heart, but breaks
forth in words and actions,27
scandalize others,28 and admit of
no reparation:29 if against
means,30 mercies,31 judgments,32
light of nature,33 conviction of
consciousness,34 publick or private admonition,35 censures of the
church,36 civil punishments;37 and
our prayers, purposes, promises,38
vows,39 covenants,40 and engagements to God or men:41 if
done deliberately,42 wilfully,43
presumptuously,44 impudently,45
boastingly,46 maliciously,47 frequently,48 obstinately,49 with delight,50 continuance,51 or relapsing after repentance.52
4. From circumstances of time53
and place:54 if on the Lord's
day,55 or other times of divine
worship;56 or immediately before57 or after these,58 or other
helps to prevent or remedy such
miscarriages:59 if in publick, or in
the presence of others, who are
thereby likely to be provoked or
defiled.60
1

WLC 152 What doth every sin
deserve at the hands of God?
A. Every sin, even the least, being against the sovereignty,1
goodness,2 and holiness of God,3
and against his righteous law,4
deserveth his wrath and curse,5
both in this life,6 and that which
is to come;7 and cannot be expiated but by the blood of Christ.8
1

WSC 84 What doth every sin deserve?
A. Every sin deserveth God's
wrath and curse, both in this life,
and that which is to come.1
1

Eph. 5:6; Gal. 3:10; Lam. 3:39; Matt.
25:41

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Notes

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Chapter Twenty:

Of Christian Liberty and
Liberty of Conscience
Confession of Faith Ch. 20

Confession of Faith
WCF 20.1 The liberty which
Christ hath purchased for believers under the Gospel, consists in
their freedom from the guilt of
sin, the condemning wrath of
God, the curse of the moral law;1
and, in their being delivered from
this present evil world, bondage
to Satan and dominion of sin;2
from the evil of afflictions, the
sting of death, the victory of the
grave, and everlasting damnation;3 as also, in their free access
to God,4 and their yielding obedience unto Him, not out of slavish
fear, but a child-like love and
willing mind.5 All which were
common also to believers under
the law;6 but, under the new testament, the liberty of Christians is
further enlarged in their freedom
from the yoke of the ceremonial
law, to which the Jewish Church
was subjected,7 and in greater
boldness of access to the throne
of grace,8 and in fuller communications of the free Spirit of God,
than believers under the law did
ordinarily partake of.9
1

WCF 20.2 God alone is Lord of
the conscience,1 and hath left it
free from the doctrines and commandments of men, which are, in
anything, contrary to His Word,
or beside it, in matters of faith or
worship.2 So that to believe such
doctrines, or to obey such commands out of conscience, is to betray true liberty of conscience:3
and the requiring of an implicit
faith, and an absolute and blind
obedience, is to destroy liberty of
conscience, and reason also.4
1

WCF 20.3 They who, upon pretence of Christian liberty, do
practice any sin, or cherish any
lust, do thereby destroy the end
of Christian liberty; which is,
that, being delivered out of the
hands of our enemies, we might
serve the Lord without fear, in
holiness and righteousness before
Him, all the days of our life.1
1

Gal. 5:13; 1 Pet. 2:16; 2 Pet. 2:19; John
8:34; Luke 1:74, 75.

WCF 20.4 And because the
powers which God hath ordained,
and the liberty which Christ hath
purchased, are not intended by
God to destroy, but mutually to
uphold and preserve one another;
they who, upon pretence of
Christian liberty, shall oppose
any lawful power, or the lawful
exercise of it, whether it be civil
or ecclesiastical, resist the ordinance of God.1 And, for their
publishing of such opinions, or
maintaining of such practices, as
are contrary to the light of nature,
or to the known principles of
Christianity (whether concerning

Confession of Faith
WCF 21.1 The light of nature
showeth that there is a God, who
hath lordship and sovereignty
over all; is good, and doth good
unto all; and is therefore to be
feared, loved, praised, called
upon, trusted in, and served, with
all the heart, and with all the soul,
and with all the might.1 But the
acceptable way of worshipping
the true God is instituted by Himself, and so limited by His own
revealed will, that He may not be
worshipped according to the
imaginations and devices of men,
or the suggestions of Satan, under
any visible representation, or any
other way not prescribed in the
Holy Scripture.2
1

WCF 21.2 Religious worship is
to be given to God, the Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost; and to Him
alone:1 not to angels, saints, or
any other creature:2 and, since the
fall, not without a mediator; nor
in the mediation of any other but
of Christ alone.3
1

WCF 21.3 Prayer, with thanksgiving, being one special part of
religious worship,1 is by God required of all men;2 and, that it
may be accepted, it is to be made
in the name of the Son,3 by the
help of His Spirit,4 according to
His will,5 with understanding,
reverence, humility, fervency,
faith, love, and perseverance;6
and, if vocal, in a known tongue.7

WLC 185 How are we to pray?
A. We are to pray with an awful
apprehension of the majesty of
God,1 and deep sense of our own
unworthiness,2 necessities,3 and
sins;4 with penitent,5 thankful,6
and enlarged hearts;7 with understanding,8 faith,9 sincerity,10 fervency,11 love,12 and perseverance,13 waiting upon him,14 with
humble submission to his will.15

WLC 178 What is prayer?
A. Prayer is an offering up of our
desires unto God,1 in the name of
Christ,2 by the help of his Spirit;3
with confession of our sins,4 and
thankful acknowledgement of his
mercies.5
1

Ps. 62:8
John 16:23
3
Rom. 8:26
4
Ps. 32:5, 6; Dan. 9:4
5
Phil. 4:6
2

WLC 179 Are we to pray unto
God only?
A. God only being able to search
the hearts,1 hear the requests,2
pardon the sins,3 and fulfil the
desire of all;4 and only to be believed in,5 and worshipped with
religious worship;6 prayer, which
is a special part thereof,7 is to be
made by all to him alone,8 and to
none other.9
1

WSC 98 What is prayer?
A. Prayer is an offering up of our
desires unto God,1 for things
agreeable to his will,2 in the name
of Christ,3 with confession of our
sins,4 and thankful acknowledgment of his mercies.5
1

WLC 180 What is it to pray in
the name of Christ?
A. To pray in the name of Christ
is, in obedience to his command,
and in confidence on his promises, to ask mercy for his sake;1
not by bare mentioning of his
name,2 but by drawing our encouragement to pray, and our
boldness, strength, and hope of
acceptance in prayer, from Christ
and his mediation.3
1

WLC 181 Why are we to pray in
the name of Christ?
A. The sinfulness of man, and his
distance from God by reason
thereof, being so great, as that we
can have no access into his presence without a mediator;1 and
there being none in heaven or
earth appointed to, or fit for, that
glorious work but Christ alone,2
we are to pray in no other name
but his only.3
1

WLC 182 How doth the Spirit
help us to pray?
A. We not knowing what to pray
for as we ought, the Spirit helpeth
our infirmities, by enabling us to
understand both for whom, and
what, and how prayer is to be
made; and by working and quickening in our hearts although not
in all persons, nor at all times, in
the same measure those apprehensions, affections, and graces
which are requisite for the right
performance of that duty.1
1

WCF 21.4 Prayer is to be made
for things lawful,1 and for all
sorts of men living, or that shall
live hereafter;2 but not for the

Rom. 8:26, 27; Ps. 10:17; Zech. 12:10

WLC 183 For whom are we to
pray?
A. We are to pray for the whole
church of Christ upon earth;1 for

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dead,3 not for those of whom it
may be known that they have
sinned the sin unto death.4

magistrates,2 and ministers;3 for
ourselves,4 our brethren,5 yea, our
enemies;6 and for all sorts of men
living,7 or that shall live hereafter,8 but not for the dead,9 nor for
those that are known to have
sinned the sin unto death.10

WCF 21.5 The reading of Scriptures with godly fear;1 the sound
preaching,2 and conscionable
hearing of the Word, in obedience unto God, with understanding, faith, and reverence;3 singing
of Psalms with grace in the
heart;4 as also, the due administration and worthy receiving of
the sacraments instituted by
Christ; are all parts of the ordinary religious worship of God:5
besides religious oaths,6 vows,7
solemn fastings,8 and thanksgivings upon special occasions,9
which are, in their several times
and seasons, to be used in an holy
and religious manner.10
1

WLC 116 What is required in
the fourth commandment?
A. The fourth commandment requireth of all men the sanctifying
or keeping holy to God such set
times as he hath appointed in his
word, expressly one whole day in
seven; which was the seventh
from the beginning of the world
to the resurrection of Christ, and
the first day of the week ever
since, and so to continue to the
end of the world; which is the
Christian sabbath,1 and in the
New Testament called The Lord's
day.2

WSC 59 Which day of the seven
hath God appointed to be the
weekly sabbath?
A. From the beginning of the
world to the resurrection of
Christ, God appointed the seventh day of the week to be the
weekly sabbath; and the first day
of the week ever since, to continue to the end of the world,
which is the Christian sabbath.1

9

Ps. 107; Esther 9:22.
10
Heb. 12:28.

WCF 21.6 Neither prayer, nor
any other part of religious worship, is now, under the Gospel,
either tied unto, or made more
acceptable by, any place in which
it is performed, or towards which
it is directed;1 but God is to be
worshipped everywhere2 in spirit
and truth;3 as, in private families4
daily,5 and in secret, each one by
himself;6 so more solemnly in the
public assemblies, which are not
carelessly or wilfully to be neglected or forsaken, when God,
by His Word or providence, calleth thereunto.7
1

WCF 21.7 As it is the law of nature, that, in general, a due proportion of time be set apart for
the worship of God; so, in His
Word, by a positive, moral, and
perpetual commandment binding
all men in all ages, He hath particularly appointed one day in
seven, for a Sabbath, to be kept
holy unto Him:1 which, from the
beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, was the last
day of the week; and, from the
resurrection of Christ, was
changed into the first day of the
week,2 which, in Scripture, is
called the Lord's Day,3 and is to
be continued to the end of the
world, as the Christian Sabbath.4
1

men, after a due preparing of
their hearts, and ordering of their
common affairs beforehand, do
not only observe an holy rest, all
the day, from their own works,
words, and thoughts about their
worldly employments and recreations;1 but also are taken up, the
whole time, in the public and private exercises of His worship,
and in the duties of necessity and
mercy.2

A. The sabbath or Lord's day is to
be sanctified by an holy resting
all the day,1 not only from such
works as are at all times sinful,
but even from such worldly employments and recreations as are
on other days lawful;2 and making it our delight to spend the
whole time except so much of it
as is to be taken up in works of
necessity and mercy3 in the publick and private exercises of
God's worship:4 and, to that end,
we are to prepare our hearts, and
with such foresight, diligence,
and moderation, to dispose and
seasonably dispatch our worldly
business, that we may be the
more free and fit for the duties of
that day.5

A. The sabbath is to be sanctified
by a holy resting all that day,1
even from such worldly employments and recreations as are lawful on other days;2 and spending
the whole time in the publick and
private exercises of God's worship,3 except so much as is to be
taken up in the works of necessity
and mercy.4

WLC 186 What rule hath God
given for our direction in the duty
of prayer?
A. The whole word of God is of
use to direct us in the duty of
prayer,1 but the special rule of direction is that form of prayer
which our Saviour Christ taught
his disciples, commonly called
The Lord's Prayer.2
1
2

1 John 5:14
Matt. 6:9-13

WLC 187 How is the Lord's
prayer to be used?
A. The Lord's prayer is not only
for direction, as a pattern, according to which we are to make other
prayers, but may also be used as a
prayer, so that it be done with
understanding, faith, reverence,
and other graces necessary to the
right performance of the duty of
prayer.1
1

Matt. 6:9 compared with Luke 11:2

WSC 99 What rule hath God
given for our direction in prayer?
A. The whole word of God is of
use to direct us in prayer,1 but the
special rule of direction is that
form of prayer which Christ
taught his disciples, commonly
called The Lord's prayer.2
1
2

1 John 5:14
Matt. 6:9-18 compared with Luke 11:2-4

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WLC 188 Of how many parts
doth the Lord's prayer consist?
A. The Lord's prayer consists of
three parts; a preface, petitions,
and a conclusion.
WLC 189 What doth the preface
of the Lord's prayer teach us?
A. The preface of the Lord's
prayer contained in these words,
Our Father, which art in heaven,1
teacheth us, when we pray, to
draw near to God with confidence of his fatherly goodness,
and our interest therein;2 with
reverence, and all other child-like
dispositions,3 heavenly affections,4 and due apprehensions of
his sovereign power, majesty, and
gracious condescension:5 as also,
to pray with and for others.6

WSC 100 What doth the preface
of the Lord's prayer teach us?
A. The preface of the Lord's
prayer (which is, Our Father
which art in heaven1) teacheth us
to draw near to God with all holy
reverence and confidence, as
children to a father, able and
ready to help us;2 and that we
should pray with and for others.3
1

WLC 190 What do we pray for
in the first petition ?
A. In the first petition which is,
Hallowed be thy name,1 acknowledging the utter inability and indisposition that is in ourselves
and all men to honour God
aright,2 we pray, that God would
by his grace enable and incline us
and others to know, to acknowledge, and highly to esteem him,3
his titles,4 attributes,5 ordinances,
word,6 works, and whatsoever he
is pleased to make himself known
by;7 and to glorify him in
thought, word,8 and deed:9 that he
would prevent and remove atheism,10 ignorance,11 idolatry,12 profaneness,13 and whatsoever is
dishonourable to him;14 and, by
his overruling providence, direct
and dispose of all things to his
own glory.15
1

Matt. 6:9
2 Cor. 3:5; Ps. 2:15
3
Ps. 67:2
4
Ps. 83:18
2

WSC 101 What do we pray for
in the first petition?
A. In the first petition (which is,
Hallowed by thy name1) we pray,
That God would enable us and
others to glorify him in all that
whereby he maketh himself
known;2 and that he would dispose all things to his own glory.3
1

WLC 191 What do we pray for
in the second petition?
A. In the second petition which
is, Thy kingdom come,1 acknowledging ourselves and all mankind
to be by nature under the dominion of sin and Satan,2 we pray,
that the kingdom of sin and Satan
may be destroyed,3 the gospel
propagated
throughout
the
world,4 the Jews called,5 the fulness of the Gentiles brought in;6
the church furnished with all
gospel-officers and ordinances,7
purged from corruption,8 countenanced and maintained by the
civil magistrate:9 that the ordinances of Christ may be purely
dispensed, and made effectual to
the converting of those that are
yet in their sins, and the confirming, comforting, and building up
of those that are already converted:10 that Christ would rule in
our hearts here,11 and hasten the
time of his second coming, and
our reigning with him for ever:12
and that he would be pleased so
to exercise the kingdom of his
power in all the world, as may
best conduce to these ends.13
1

WSC 102 What do we pray for
in the second petition?
A. In the second petition (which
is, Thy kingdom come1) we pray,
That Satan's kingdom may be destroyed;2 and that the kingdom of
grace may be advanced,3 ourselves and others brought into it,
and kept in it;4 and that the kingdom of glory may be hastened.5
1

WLC 192 What do we pray for
in the third petition?
A. In the third petition which is,
Thy will be done in earth, as it is
in heaven,1 acknowledging, that
by nature we and all men are not
only utterly unable and unwilling
to know and do the will of God,2
but prone to rebel against his
word,3 to repine and murmur
against his providence,4 and
wholly inclined to do the will of
the flesh, and of the devil:5 we
pray, that God would by his
Spirit take away from ourselves
and others all blindness,6 weakness,7 indisposedness,8 and perverseness of heart;9 and by his
grace make us able and willing to
know, do, and submit to his will
in all things,10 with the like humility,11 cheerfulness,12 faithfulness,13 diligence,14 zeal,15 sincerity,16 and constancy,17 as the angels do in heaven.18

WSC 103 What do we pray for
in the third petition?
A. In the third petition (which is,
Thy will be done in earth, as it is
in heaven1) we pray, That God,
by his grace, would make us able
and willing to know, obey, and
submit to his will in all things,2 as
the angels do in heaven.3
1

WLC 193 What do we pray for
in the fourth petition ?
A. In the fourth petition which is,
Give us this day our daily bread,1
acknowledging, that in Adam,
and by our own sin, we have forfeited our right to all the outward
blessings of this life, and deserve
to be wholly deprived of them by
God, and to have them cursed to
us in the use of them;2 and that

WSC 104 What do we pray for
in the fourth petition?
A. In the fourth petition (which
is, Give us this day our daily
bread1) we pray, That of God's
free gift we may receive a competent portion of the good things of
this life, and enjoy his blessing
with them.2
1
2

Matt. 6:11
Prov. 30:8, 9; Gen. 28:20; 1 Tim. 4:4, 5

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neither they of themselves are
able to sustain us,3 nor we to
merit,4 or by our own industry to
procure them;5 but prone to desire,6 get,7 and use them unlawfully:8 we pray for ourselves and
others, that both they and we,
waiting upon the providence of
God from day to day in the use of
lawful means, may, of his free
gift, and as to his fatherly wisdom
shall seem best, enjoy a competent portion of them;9 and have
the same continued and blessed
unto us in our holy and comfortable use of them,10 and contentment in them;11 and be kept from
all things that are contrary to our
temporal support and comfort.12
1

WLC 194 What do we pray for
in the fifth petition ?
A. In the fifth petition which is,
Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors,1 acknowledging, that we and all others are
guilty both of original and actual
sin, and thereby become debtors
to the justice of God; and that
neither we, nor any other creature, can make the least satisfaction for that debt:2 we pray for
ourselves and others that God of
his free grace would, through the
obedience and satisfaction of
Christ, apprehended and applied
by faith, acquit us both from the
guilt and punishment of sin,3 accept us in his Beloved;4 continue
his favour and grace to us,5 pardon our daily failings,6 and fill us
with peace and joy, in giving us

WSC 105 What do we pray for
in the fifth petition ?
A. In the fifth petition (which is,
And forgive us our debts, as we
forgive our debtors1) we pray,
That God, for Christ's sake,
would freely pardon all our sins;2
which we are the rather encouraged to ask, because by his grace
we are enable from the heart to
forgive others.3
1
2
3

daily more and more assurance of
forgiveness;7 which we are the
rather emboldened to ask, and
encouraged to expect, when we
have this testimony in ourselves,
that we from the heart forgive
others their offences.8
1

WLC 195 What do we pray for
in the sixth petition?
A. In the sixth petition which is,
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil,1 acknowledging, that the most wise,
righteous, and gracious God, for
divers holy and just ends, may so
order things, that we may be assaulted, foiled, and for a time led
captive by temptations;2 that Satan,3 the world,4 and the flesh, are
ready powerfully to draw us
aside, and ensnare us;5 and that
we, even after the pardon of our
sins, by reason of our corruption,6
weakness, and want of watchfulness,7 are not only subject to be
tempted, and forward to expose
ourselves unto temptations,8 but
also of ourselves unable and unwilling to resist them, to recover
out of them, and to improve
them;9 and worthy to be left under the power of them:10 we pray,
that God would so overrule the
world and all in it,11 subdue the
flesh,12 and restrain Satan,13 order
all things,14 bestow and bless all
means of grace,15 and quicken us
to watchfulness in the use of
them, that we and all his people
may by his providence be kept
from being tempted to sin;16 or, if
tempted, that by his Spirit we
may be powerfully supported and
enabled to stand in the hour of
temptation:17 or when fallen,

WSC 106 What do we pray for
in the sixth petition ?
A. In the sixth petition (which is,
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil1) we pray,
that God would either keep us
from being tempted to sin,2 or
support and deliver us when we
are tempted.3
1

Matt. 6:13
Matt. 26:41
3
2 Cor. 12:7, 8
2

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raised again and recovered out of
it,18 and have a sanctified use and
improvement thereof:19 that our
sanctification and salvation may
be perfected,20 Satan trodden under our feet,21 and we fully freed
from sin, temptation, and all evil,
for ever.22
1

WLC 196 What doth the conclusion of the Lord's prayer teach
us?
A. The conclusion of the Lord's
prayer which is, For thine is the
kingdom, and the power, and the
glory, for ever. Amen,1 teacheth
us to enforce our petitions with
arguments,2 which are to be
taken, not from any worthiness in
ourselves, or in any other creature, but from God;3 and with our
prayers to join praises,4 ascribing
to God alone eternal sovereignty,
omnipotency, and glorious excellency;5 in regard whereof, as he is
able and willing to help us,6 so
we by faith are emboldened to
plead with him that he would,7
and quietly to rely upon him, that
he will fulfil our requests.8 And,
to testify this our desire and assurance, we say, Amen.9
1

Matt. 6:13
Rom. 15:30
3
Dan. 9:4, 7, 8, 9, 16, 17, 18, 19
2

WSC 107 What doth the conclusion of the Lord's prayer teach
us?
A. The conclusion of the Lord's
prayer (which is, For thine is the
kingdom, and the power, and the
glory, for ever, Amen1) teacheth
us to take our encouragement in
prayer from God only,2 and in
our prayers to praise him, ascribing kingdom, power, and glory to
him.3 And, in testimony of our
desire, and assurance to be heard,
we say, Amen.4
1

Confession of Faith
WCF 22.1 A lawful oath is a part
of religious worship,1 wherein,
upon just occasion, the person
swearing solemnly calleth God to
witness what he asserteth or promiseth; and to judge him according to the truth or falsehood of
what he sweareth.2
1
2

Deut. 10:20.
Exod. 20:7; Lev. 19:12; 2 Cor. 1:23; 2
Chron. 6:22, 23.

WCF 22.2 The name of God
only is that by which men ought
to swear and therein it is to be
used with all holy fear and reverence;1 therefore, to swear vainly
or rashly by that glorious and
dreadful name, or to swear at all
by any other thing, is sinful, and
to be abhorred.2 Yet, as in matters
of weight and moment, an oath is
warranted by the Word of God,
under the New Testament as well
as under the Old;3 so a lawful
oath, being imposed by lawful
authority, in such matters, ought
to be taken.4
1

WCF 22.3 Whosoever taketh an
oath, ought duly to consider the
weightiness of so solemn an act,
and therein to avouch nothing but

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what he fully persuaded is the
truth.1 Neither may any man bind
himself by oath to anything but
what is good and just, and what
he believeth so to be, and what he
is able and resolved to perform.2
[American Omits: Yet it is a sin to refuse
an oath touching anything that is good and
just, being imposed by lawful authority.3]
1
Exod. 20:7; Jer. 4:2.
2
Gen. 24:2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9.
3
Numb. 5:19, 21; Neh. 5:12; Exod. 22:7,
8, 9, 10, 11.

WCF 22.4 An oath is to be taken
in the plain and common sense of
the words, without equivocation,
or mental reservation.1 It cannot
oblige to sin; but in anything not
sinful being taken, it binds to performance, although to a man's
own hurt;2 nor is it to be violated,
although made to heretics or infidels.3
1

WCF 22.5 A vow is of the like
nature with a promissory oath,
and ought to be made with the
like religious care, and to be performed with the like faithfulness.1
1

Isa. 19:21; Eccl. 5:4, 5, 6; Ps. 61:8; Ps.
66:13, 14.

WCF 22.6 It is not to be made to
any creature, but to God alone:1
and, that it may be accepted, it is
to be made voluntarily, out of
faith, and conscience of duty, in
way of thankfulness for mercy
received, or for the obtaining of
what we want; whereby we more
strictly bind ourselves to necessary duties, or to other things, so
far and so long as they may fitly
conduce thereunto.2
1
2

WCF 22.7 No man may vow to
do anything forbidden in the
Word of God, or what would

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hinder any duty therein commanded, or which is not in his
own power, and for the performance whereof he hath no promise
of ability from God.1 In which respects Popish monastical vows of
perpetual single life, professed
poverty, and regular obedience,
are so far from being degrees of
higher perfection, that they are
superstitious and sinful snares, in
which no Christian may entangle
himself.2
1

Confession of Faith
WCF 23.1 God the supreme
Lord and King of all the world,
hath ordained civil magistrates to
be under Him, over the people,
for His own glory, and the public
good; and, to this end, hath armed
them with the power of the
sword, for the defence and encouragement of them that are
good, and for the punishment of
evil doers.1
1

Rom. 13:1-4; 1 Pet. 2:13, 14.

WCF 23.2 It is lawful for Christians to accept and execute the office of a magistrate, when called
thereunto:1 in the managing
whereof, as they ought especially
to maintain piety, justice, and
peace, according to the wholesome laws of each commonwealth;2 so, for that end, they
may lawfully, now under the
New Testament, wage war upon
just and necessary occasions.3
1

WCF 23.3 [(American Edition)
Civil magistrates may not assume
to themselves the administration
of the Word and Sacraments;1 or
the power of the keys of the
kingdom of heaven;2 or, in the
least, interfere in matters of
faith.3 Yet as nursing fathers, it is
the duty of civil magistrates to
protect the Church of our common Lord, without giving the

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preference to any denomination
of Christians above the rest, in
such a manner that all ecclesiastical persons whatever shall enjoy
the full, free, and unquestioned
liberty of discharging every part
of their sacred functions, without
violence or danger.4 And, as Jesus Christ hath appointed a regular government and discipline in
his Church, no law of any commonwealth should interfere with,
let, or hinder, the due exercise
thereof, among the voluntary
members of any denomination of
Christians, according to their own
profession and belief.5 It is the
duty of civil magistrates to protect the person and good name of
all their people, in such an effectual manner as that no person be
suffered, either upon pretense of
religion or infidelity, to offer any
indignity, violence, abuse, or injury to any other person whatsoever; and to take order, that all religious and ecclesiastical assemblies be held without molestation
or disturbance.6
1

2 Chron. 26:18
Matt. 16:19; 1 Cor. 4:1, 2
3
John 18:36; Mal. 2:7; Acts 5:29
4
Isa. 49:23
5
Ps. 105:15; Acts 18:14-16
6
2 Sam. 23:3; 1 Tim. 2:1; Rom. 13:4]
[Original Version:
The civil magistrate may not assume to
himself the administration of the Word
and sacraments, or the power of the keys
of the kingdom of heaven:1 yet he hath authority, and it is his duty, to take order,
that unity and peace be preserved in the
church, that the truth of God be kept pure
and entire, that all blasphemes and heresies be suppressed, all corruptions and
abuses in worship and discipline prevented or reformed, and all the ordinances
of God duly settled, administered, and observed.2 For the better effecting whereof,
he hath power to call synods, to be present
at them, and to provide that whatsoever is
transacted in them be according to the
mind of God.3
1
2 Chron. 26:18; Matt. 18:17; Matt. 16:19;
1 Cor. 12:28, 29; Eph. 4:11, 12; 1 Cor.
4:1, 2; Rom. 10:15; Heb. 5:4.
2
Isa. 49:23; Ps. 122:9; Ezra 7:23, 25-28;
Lev. 24:16; Deut. 13:5, 6, 12; 2 Kings
18:4; 1 Chron. 13:1-9; 2 Kings 24:1-26;
2

WCF 23.4 It is the duty of people to pray for magistrates,1 to
honour their persons,2 to pay
them tribute or other dues,3 to
obey their lawful commands, and
to be subject to their authority,
for conscience sake.4 Infidelity,
or difference in religion, doth not
make void the magistrates' just
and legal authority, nor free the
people from their due obedience
to them:5 from which ecclesiastical persons are not exempted,6
much less hath the Pope any
power and jurisdiction over them
in their dominions, or over any of
their people and, least of all, to
deprive them of their dominions,
or lives, if he shall judge them to
be heretics, or upon any other
pretence whatsoever.7
1

Confession of Faith
WCF 24.1 Marriage is to be between one man and one woman:
neither is it lawful for any man to
have more than one wife, nor for
any woman to have more than
one husband at the same time.1
1

Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:5, 6; Prov. 2:17

WCF 24.2 Marriage was ordained for the mutual help of
husband and wife,1 for the increase of mankind with legitimate
issue, and of the Church with an
holy seed;2 and for preventing of
uncleanness.3
1

Gen. 2:18
Mal. 2:15
3
1 Cor. 7:2, 9
2

WCF 24.3 It is lawful for all
sorts of people to marry, who are
able with judgment to give their
consent.1 Yet it is the duty of
Christians to marry only in the
Lord.2 And therefore such as profess the true reformed religion
should not marry with infidels,
papists, or other idolaters: neither
should such as are godly be unequally yoked, by marrying with
such as are notoriously wicked in
their life, or maintain damnable
heresies.3
1

guinity or affinity forbidden by
the Word.1 Nor can such incestuous marriages ever be made lawful by any law of man or consent
of parties, so as those persons
may live together as man and
wife.2 [American & OPC versions Omit:
The man may not marry any of his wife's
kindred nearer in blood than he may of his
own, nor the woman of her husband's kindred nearer in blood than of her own.3]
1
Lev. Chapter 18; 1 Cor. 5:1;Amos 2:7
2
Mark 6:18; Lev. 18:24-28.
3
Lev. 20:19-21;

WCF 24.5 Adultery or fornication committed after a contract,
being detected before marriage,
giveth just occasion to the innocent party to dissolve that contract.1 In the case of adultery after
marriage, it is lawful for the innocent party to sue out a divorce:2 and after the divorce, to
marry another, as if the offending
party were dead.3
1

Matt. 1:18-20
Matt. 5:31-32
3
Matt. 19:9; Rom. 7:2-3
2

WCF 24.6 Although the corruption of man be such as is apt to
study arguments unduly to put
asunder those whom God hath
joined together in marriage: yet,
nothing but adultery, or such wilful desertion as can no way be
remedied by the Church, or civil
magistrate, is cause sufficient of
dissolving the bond of marriage:1
wherein, a public and orderly
course of proceeding is to be observed; and the persons concerned in it not left to their own
wills, and discretion, in their own
case.2
1
2

Matt. 19:8, 9; 1 Cor. 7:15; Matt. 19:6
Deut. 24:1-4

Notes

Shorter Catechism

Chapter Twenty Five:

Of the Church
Confession of Faith Ch. 25; Larger Catechism 61-65

Confession of Faith

Larger Catechism

WCF 25.1 The catholic or universal Church, which is invisible,
consists of the whole number of
the elect, that have been, are, or
shall be gathered into one, under
Christ the Head thereof; and is
the spouse, the body, the fulness
of Him that filleth all in all.1

WLC 64 What is the invisible
church?
A. The invisible church is the
whole number of the elect, that
have been, are, or shall be gathered into one under Christ the
head.1

1

1

Eph. 1:10, 22, 23; Eph. 5:23, 27, 32; Col.
1:18

Eph. 1:10, 22, 23; John 10:16; John
11:52

WLC 65 What special benefits
do the members of the invisible
church enjoy by Christ?
A. The members of the invisible
church by Christ enjoy union and
communion with him in grace
and glory.1
1

WCF 25.2 The visible Church,
which is also catholic or universal
under the Gospel (not confined to
one nation, as before under the
law), consists of all those
throughout the world that profess
the true religion;1 and of their
children:2 and is the kingdom of
the Lord Jesus Christ,3 the house
and family of God,4 out of which
there is no ordinary possibility of
salvation.5

John 17:21; Eph. 2:5, 6; John 17:24

WLC 62 What is the visible
church?
A. The visible church is a society
made up of all such as in all ages
and places of the world do profess the true religion,1 and of their
children.2
1

WCF 25.3 Unto this catholic
visible Church Christ hath given
the ministry, oracles, and ordi-

WLC 63 What are the special
privileges of the visible church?
A. The visible church hath the

Shorter Catechism

Harmony of the Westminster Standards

134

Confession of Faith

Larger Catechism

nances of God, for the gathering
and perfecting of the saints, in
this life to the end of the world:
and doth, by His own presence
and Spirit, according to His
promise, make them effectual
thereunto. 1

privilege of being under God's
special care and government;1 of
being protected and preserved in
all ages, notwithstanding the opposition of all enemies,2 and of
enjoying the communion of
saints, the ordinary means of salvation,3 and offers of grace by
Christ to all the members of it in
the ministry of the gospel, testifying, that whosoever believes in
him shall be saved,4 and excluding none that will come unto
him.5

WCF 25.4 This catholic Church
hath been sometimes more, sometimes less visible.1 And particular
Churches, which are members
thereof, are more or less pure, according as the doctrine of the
Gospel is taught and embraced,
ordinances administered, and
public worship performed more
or less purely in them.2
1
2

Rom. 11:3, 4; Rev. 12:6, 14
Rev. 2 and 3 throughout; 1 Cor. 5:6, 7

WCF 25.5 The purest Churches
under heaven are subject both to
mixture and error;1 and some
have so degenerated, as to become no Churches of Christ, but
synagogues of Satan.2 Nevertheless, there shall be always a
Church on earth, to worship God
according to His will.3
1

WCF 25.6 [American Version:
The Lord Jesus Christ is the only
head of the Church,1 and the
claim of any man to be the vicar
of Christ and the head of the
Church, is unscriptural, without
warrant in fact, and is a usurpa-

WLC 61 Are all they saved who
hear the gospel, and live in the
church?
A. All that hear the gospel, and
live in the visible church, are not
saved; but they only who are true
members of the church invisible.1
1

John 12:38-40; Rom. 9:6; Matt. 22:14;
Matt. 7:21; Rom. 11:7

Shorter Catechism

Harmony of the Westminster Standards

Confession of Faith

135

Larger Catechism

tion dishonoring to the Lord Jesus Christ.2]
1

Col. 1:18; Eph. 1:22
Matt. 23:8-10; 2 Thess. 2:3, 4, 8, 9; Rev.
13:6
[Original version: There is no other head
of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ.1
Nor can the Pope of Rome, in any sense,
be head thereof; [but is that Antichrist,
that man of sin, and son of perdition, that
exalteth himself in the church against
Christ, and all that is called God.2]
2

WCF 26.1 All saints, that are
united to Jesus Christ their Head,
by His Spirit, and by faith, have
fellowship with Him in His
graces, sufferings, death, resurrection, and glory:1 and, being
united to one another in love,
they have communion in each
other's gifts and graces,2 and are
obliged to the performance of
such duties, public and private, as
do conduce to their mutual good,
both in the inward and outward
man.3

WLC 65 What special benefits
do the members of the invisible
church enjoy by Christ?
A. The members of the invisible
church by Christ enjoy union and
communion with him in grace
and glory.1

WCF 26.2 Saints by profession
are bound to maintain an holy fellowship and communion in the
worship of God, and in performing such other spiritual services
as tend to their mutual edification;1 as also in relieving each
other in outward things, according to their several abilities and
necessities. Which communion,
as God offereth opportunity, is to
be extended unto all those who,
in every place, call upon the
name of the Lord Jesus.2
1

Heb. 10:24, 25; Acts 2:42, 46; Isa. 2:3; 1

1

John 17:21; Eph. 2:5, 6; John 17:24

WLC 66 What is that union
which the elect have with Christ?
A. The union which the elect
have with Christ is the work of
God's grace,1 whereby they are
spiritually and mystically, yet
really and inseparably, joined to
Christ as their head and husband;2
which is done in their effectual
calling.3
1

WCF 26.3
This communion
which the saints have with Christ,
doth not make them in any wise
partakers of the substance of His
Godhead; or to be equal with
Christ in any respect: either of
which to affirm is impious and
blasphemous.1 Nor doth their
communion one with another, as
saints, take away, or infringe the
title or propriety which each man
hath in his goods and possessions.2
1

WLC 69 What is the communion
in grace which the members of
the invisible church have with
Christ?
A. The communion in grace
which the members of the invisible church have with Christ, is
their partaking of the virtue of his
mediation, in their justification,1
adoption,2 sanctification, and
whatever else, in this life, manifests their union with him.3
1

Rom. 8:30
Eph. 1:5
3
1 Cor. 1:30
2

WLC 82 What is the communion
in glory which the members of
the invisible church have with
Christ?
A. The communion in glory
which the members of the visible
church have with Christ, is in this
life,1 immediately after death,2
and at last perfected [BP Version:
at their resurrection] 3 [Original: at
the resurrection and day of judgment.]3
2 Cor. 3:18
2
Luke 23:43
3
1 Thess. 4:17
1

WLC 83 What is the communion
in glory with Christ which the
members of the invisible church
enjoy in this life?
A. The members of the invisible

WSC 36 What are the benefits
which in this life do accompany
or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification?
A. The benefits which in this life

Harmony of the Westminster Standards

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139

Larger Catechism

Shorter Catechism

church have communicated to
them in this life the first-fruits of
glory with Christ, as they are
members of him their head, and
so in him are interested in that
glory which he is fully possessed
of;1 and, as an earnest thereof, enjoy the sense of God's love,2
peace of conscience, joy in the
Holy Ghost, and hope of glory;3
as, on the contrary, sense of
God's revenging wrath, horror of
conscience, and a fearful expectation of judgment, are to the
wicked the beginning of their
torments which they shall endure
after death.4

do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification, are, assurance of God's love,
peace of conscience,1 joy in the
Holy Ghost,2 increase of grace,3
and perseverance therein to the
end.4
1

WLC 86 What is the communion
in glory with Christ, which the
members of the invisible church
enjoy immediately after death?
A. The communion in glory with
Christ, which the members of the
invisible church enjoy immediately after death, is, in that their
souls are then made perfect in holiness,1 and received into the
highest heavens,2 where they behold the face of God in light and
glory,3 waiting for the full redemption of their bodies,4 which
even in death continue united to
Christ,5 and rest in their graves as
in their beds,6 [BP Version: till at
the return of Christ they are again
united to their souls7 and live and
reign with him upon the earth a
thousand years. Whereas the
souls of the wicked are at their
death cast into hell, where they
remain in torments and utter
darkness, and their bodies kept in
their graves, as in their prisons,
until the resurrection and judgment of ungodly men,8 after the
millennial reign of Christ.] [Original: till at the last day they be again united
to their souls.7 Whereas the souls of the
wicked are at their death cast into hell,

WSC 37 What benefits do believers receive from Christ at
death?
A. The souls of believers are at
their death made perfect in holiness,1 and do immediately pass
into glory;2 and their bodies, being still united in Christ,3 do rest
in their graves,4 till the resurrection.5
1

WLC 90 What shall be done to
the righteous at the day of judgment?
A. At the day of judgment, the
righteous, being caught up to
Christ in the clouds,1 shall be set
on his right hand, and there
openly acknowledged and acquitted,2 shall join with him in the
judging of reprobate angels and
men,3 and shall be received into
heaven,4 where they shall be fully
and for ever freed from all sin
and misery;5 filled with inconceivable joys,6 made perfectly
holy and happy both in body and
soul, in the company of innumerable saints and holy angels,7 but
especially in the immediate vision
and fruition of God the Father, of
our Lord Jesus Christ, and of the
Holy Spirit, to all eternity.8 And
this is the perfect and full communion, which the members of
the invisible church shall enjoy
with Christ in glory, at the resurrection and day of judgment.
1

WSC 38 What benefits do believers receive from Christ at the
resurrection?
A. At the resurrection, believers
being raised up in glory,1 shall be
openly acknowledged and acquitted in the day of judgment,2 and
made perfectly blessed in the full
enjoying of God3 to all eternity.4
1

WLC 153 What doth God require of us, that we may escape
his wrath and curse due to us by
reason of the transgression of the
law?
A. That we may escape the wrath
and curse of God due to us by
reason of the transgression of the
law, he requireth of us repentance
toward God, and faith toward our
Lord Jesus Christ,1 and the diligent use of the outward means
whereby Christ communicates to
us the benefits of his mediation.2

WSC 85 What doth God require
of us, that we may escape his
wrath and curse due to us for sin?
A. To escape the wrath and curse
of God due to us for sin, God requireth of us faith in Jesus Christ,
repentance unto life,1 with the
diligent use of all the outward
means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption.2
1
2

WLC 154 What are the outward
means whereby Christ communicates to us the benefits of his mediation?
A. The outward and ordinary
means whereby Christ communicates to his church the benefits of
his mediation, are all his ordinances; especially the word, sacraments, and prayer; all which are
made effectual to the elect for
their salvation.1
1

Matt. 28:19, 20; Acts 2:42, 46, 47

WLC 155 How is the word made
effectual to salvation ?
A. The spirit of God maketh the
reading, but especially the
preaching of the word an effec-

WSC 88 What are the outward
means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption?
A. The outward and ordinary
means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption, are his ordinances, especially the word, sacraments,
and prayer; all which are made
effectual to the elect for salvation.1
1

Matt. 28:19, 20; Acts 2:42, 46, 47

WSC 89 How is the word made
effectual to salvation?
A. The Spirit of God maketh the
reading, but especially the
preaching of the word, an effec-

Harmony of the Westminster Standards

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Confession of Faith

Larger Catechism

Shorter Catechism

tual means of enlightening,1 convincing, and humbling sinners;2
of driving them out of themselves, and drawing them unto
Christ;3 of conforming them to
his image,4 and subduing them to
his will;5 of strengthening them
against temptations and corruptions;6 of building them up in
grace,7 and establishing their
hearts in holiness and comfort
through faith unto salvation.8

tual means of convincing and
converting sinners, and of building them up in holiness and comfort, through faith, unto salvation.1
1

WLC 156 Is the word of God to
be read by all?
A. Although all are not to be
permitted to read the word publickly to the congregation,1 yet all
sorts of people are bound to read
it apart by themselves,2 and with
their families:3 to which end, the
holy scriptures are to be translated out of the original into vulgar languages.4
1

WLC 157 How is the word of
God to be read?
A. The holy scriptures are to be
read with an high and reverent esteem of them;1 with a firm persuasion that they are the very
word of God,2 and that he only
can enable us to understand
them;3 with desire to know, believe, and obey the will of God
revealed in them;4 with diligence,5 and attention to the matter
and scope of them;6 with meditation,7 application,8 self-denial,9
and prayer.10

WSC 90 How is the word to be
read and heard, that it may become effectual to salvation?
A. That the word may become effectual to salvation, we must attend thereunto with diligence,1
preparation,2 and prayer;3 receive
it with faith and love,4 lay it up in
our hearts,5 and practice it in our
lives.6
1

WLC 159 How is the word of
God to be preached by those that
are called thereunto?
A. They that are called to labour
in the ministry of the word, are to
preach sound doctrine,1 diligently,2 in season and out of season;3 plainly,4 not in the enticing
words of man's wisdom, but in
demonstration of the Spirit, and
of power;5 faithfully,6 making
known the whole counsel of
God;7 wisely,8 applying themselves to the necessities and capacities of the hearers;9 zealously,10 with fervent love to
God11 and the souls of his people;12 sincerely,13 aiming at his
glory,14 and their conversion,15
edification,16 and salvation.17
1

WLC 160 What is required of
those that hear the word
preached?
A. It is required of those that hear
the word preached, that they attend upon it with diligence,1
preparation,2 and prayer;3 examine what they hear by the scriptures;4 receive the truth with
faith,5 love,6 meekness,7 and
readiness of mind,8 as the word of
God;9 meditate,10 and confer of
it;11 hide it in their hearts,12 and
bring forth the fruit of it in their
lives.13
1

WCF 27.1 Sacraments are holy
signs and seals of the covenant of
grace,1 immediately instituted by
God,2 to represent Christ, and His
benefits; and to confirm our interest in Him:3 as also, to put a
visible difference between those
that belong unto the Church, and
the rest of the world;4 and solemnly to engage them to the service of God in Christ, according
to His Word.5
1

WLC 162 What is a sacrament?
A. sacrament is an holy ordinance
instituted by Christ in his
church,1 to signify, seal, and exhibit2 unto those that are within
the covenant of grace,3 the benefits of his mediation,4 to
strengthen and increase their
faith, and all other graces;5 to
oblige them to obedience;6 to testify and cherish their love and
communion one with another;7
and to distinguish them from
those that are without.8
1

WSC 92 What is a sacrament?
A. sacrament is an holy ordinance
instituted by Christ, wherein, by
sensible signs, Christ, and the
benefits of the new covenant, are
represented, sealed, and applied
to believers.1
1

Gen. 17:7, 10; Exod. 12:throughout; 1
Cor. 11:23, 26

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rament, a spiritual relation, or
sacramental union, between the
sign and the thing signified:
whence it comes to pass, that the
names and effects of the one are
attributed to the other.1

sacrament?
A. The parts of a sacrament are
two; the one an outward and sensible sign, used according to
Christ's own appointment; the
other an inward and spiritual
grace thereby signified.1

1

Gen. 17:10; Matt. 26:27, 28; Tit. 3:5

1

WCF 27.3 The grace which is
exhibited in or by the sacraments
rightly used, is not conferred by
any power in them; neither doth
the efficacy of a sacrament depend upon the piety or intention
of him that doth administer it:1
but upon the work of the Spirit,2
and the word of institution, which
contains, together with a precept
authorizing the use thereof, a
promise of benefit to worthy receivers.3

WCF 27.4 There be only two
sacraments ordained by Christ
our Lord in the Gospel; that is to
say, Baptism, and the Supper of
the Lord: neither of which may
be dispensed by any, but by a
minister of the Word lawfully ordained.1
1

Matt. 28:19; 1 Cor. 11:20, 23; 1 Cor. 4:1;
Heb. 5:4

Matt. 3:11; 1 Pet. 3:21; Rom. 2:28, 29

WLC 161 How do the sacraments become effectual means of
.salvation?
A. The sacraments become effectual means of salvation, not by
any power in themselves, or any
virtue derived from the piety or
intention of him by whom they
are administered, but only by the
working of the Holy Ghost, and
the blessing of Christ, by whom
they are instituted.1

1

Matt. 28:19; 1 Cor. 11:20, 23; Matt.
26:26-28

WCF 27.5 The sacraments of the
old testament, in regard of the
spiritual things thereby signified
and exhibited, were, for substance, the same with those of the
new.1
1

WSC 91 How do the sacraments
become effectual means of salvation?
A. The sacraments become effectual means of salvation, not from
any virtue in them, or in him that
doth administer them; but only by
the blessing of Christ,1 and the
working of his spirit in them that
by faith receive them.2
1
2

1 Pet. 3:21; Matt. 3:11; 1 Cor. 3:6, 7
1 Cor. 12:13

1 Pet. 3:21; Acts 8:13, 23; 1 Cor. 3:6, 7; 1
Cor. 12:13

WLC 164 How many sacraments
hath Christ instituted in his
church under the New Testament?
A. Under the New Testament
Christ hath instituted in his
church only two sacraments, baptism and the Lord's supper.1
1

Shorter Catechism

1 Cor. 10:1-4

Notes

WSC 93 Which are the sacraments of the New Testament?
A. The sacraments of the New
Testament are, Baptism,1 and the
Lord's supper.2
1
2

WCF 28.1 Baptism is a sacrament of the new testament, ordained by Jesus Christ,1 not only
for the solemn admission of the
party baptized into the visible
Church;2 but also, to be unto him
a sign and seal of the covenant of
grace,3 of his ingrafting into
Christ,4 of regeneration,5 of remission of sins,6 and of his giving
up unto God, through Jesus
Christ, to walk in newness of
life.7 Which sacrament is, by
Christ's own appointment, to be
continued in His Church until the
end of the world.8

WLC 165 What is Baptism?
A. Baptism is a sacrament of the
New Testament, wherein Christ
hath ordained the washing with
water in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost,1 to be a sign and seal of
ingrafting into himself,2 of remission of sins by his blood,3 and regeneration by his Spirit;4 of adoption,5 and resurrection unto everlasting life;6 and whereby the parties baptized are solemnly admitted into the visible church,7 and
enter into an open and professed
engagement to be wholly and
only the Lord's.8

WSC 94 What is baptism ?
A. Baptism is a sacrament,
wherein the washing with water
in the name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,1
doth signify and seal our ingrafting into Christ, and partaking of
the benefits of the covenant of
grace, and our engagement to be
the Lord's.2

WCF 28.2 The outward element
to be used in this sacrament is
water, wherewith the party is to
be baptized, in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost, by a minister of the
Gospel, lawfully called thereunto.1
1

Matt. 3:11; John 1:33; Matt. 28:19, 20

WCF 28.3 Dipping of the person
into the water is not necessary;
but Baptism is rightly administered by pouring, or sprinkling
water upon the person.1
1

WCF 28.4 Not only those that do
actually profess faith in the obedience unto Christ,1 but also the
infants of one, or both, believing
parents, are to be baptized.2

WLC 166 Unto whom is baptism
to be administered?
A. Baptism is not to be administered to any that are out of the
visible church, and so strangers
from the covenant of promise, till
they profess their faith in Christ,
and obedience to him,1 but infants descended from parents, either both or but one of them professing faith in Christ, and obedience to him, are, in that respect,
within the covenant, and to be
baptized.2

WSC 95 To whom is baptism to
be administered?
A. Baptism is not to be administered to any that are out of the
visible church, till they profess
their faith in Christ, and obedience to him;1 but the infants of
such as are members of the visible church are to be baptized.2

WCF 28.5 Although it be a great
sin to contemn or neglect this ordinance,1 yet grace and salvation
are not so inseparably annexed
unto it, as that no person can be
regenerated or saved, without it;2
or, that all that are baptized are
undoubtedly regenerated.3
1

WCF 28.6 The efficacy of Baptism is not tied to that moment of
time wherein it is administered;1
yet, not withstanding, by the right
use of this ordinance, the grace
promised is not only offered, but
really exhibited, and conferred,
by the Holy Ghost, to such
(whether of age or infants) as that
grace belongeth unto, according
to the counsel of God's own will,
in His appointed time.2
1
2

John 3:5, 8
Gal 3:27; Tit. 3:5; Eph. 5:25, 26; Acts
2:38, 41

WCF 28.7 The sacrament of
Baptism is but once to be administered unto any person.1
1

Tit. 3:5

WLC 167 How is our baptism to
be improved by us?
A. The needful but much neglected duty of improving our
baptism, is to be performed by us
all our life long, especially in the
time of temptation, and when we
are present at the administration
of it to others;1 by serious and
thankful consideration of the nature of it, and of the ends for
which Christ instituted it, the
privileges and benefits conferred

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and sealed thereby, and our solemn vow made therein;2 by being
humbled for our sinful defilement, our falling short of, and
walking contrary to, the grace of
baptism, and our engagements;3
by growing up to assurance of
pardon of sin, and of all other
blessings sealed to us in that sacrament;4 by drawing strength
from the death and resurrection
of Christ, into whom we are baptized, for the mortifying of sin,
and quickening of grace;5 and by
endeavouring to live by faith,6 to
have our conversation in holiness
and righteousness,7 as those that
have therein given up their names
to Christ;8 and to walk in brotherly love, as being baptized by
the same Spirit into one body.9
1

WCF 29.1 Our Lord Jesus, in the
night wherein He was betrayed,
instituted the sacrament of His
body and blood, called the Lord's
Supper, to be observed in His
Church, unto the end of the world
for the perpetual remembrance of
the sacrifice of Himself in His
death, the sealing all benefits
thereof unto true believers, their
spiritual nourishment and growth
in Him, their further engagement
in and to all duties which they
owe unto Him; and, to be a bond
and pledge of their communion
with Him, and with each other, as
members of His mystical body.1

WLC 168 What is the Lord's
supper?
A. The Lord's supper is a sacrament of the New Testament,1
wherein, by giving and receiving
bread and wine according to the
appointment of Jesus Christ, his
death is showed forth and they
that worthily communicate feed
upon his body and blood, to their
spiritual nourishment and growth
in grace,2 have their union and
communion with him confirmed;3
testify and renew their thankfulness,4 and engagement to God,5
and their mutual love and fellowship each with other, as members
of the same mystical body.6

WSC 96 What is the Lord's supper?
A. The Lord's supper is a sacrament, wherein, by giving and receiving bread and wine, according to Christ's appointment, his
death is showed forth; and the
worthy receivers are, not after a
corporal and carnal manner, but
by faith, made partakers of his
body and blood, with all his
benefits, to their spiritual nourishment, and growth in grace.1

WCF 29.2 In this sacrament,
Christ is not offered up to His Father; not any real sacrifice made
at all, for remission of sins of the
quick or dead;1 but only a commemoration of that one offering
up of Himself, by Himself, upon
the cross, once for all: and a spiritual oblation of all possible praise
unto God, for the same,2 so that
the popish sacrifice of the mass
(as they call it) is most abominably injurious to Christ's one, only
sacrifice, the alone propitiation
for all the sins of His elect.3
1

WCF 29.3 The Lord Jesus hath,
in his ordinance, appointed His
ministers to declare His word of
institution to the people; to pray,
and bless the elements of bread
and wine, and thereby to set them
apart from a common to an holy
use; and to take and break bread,
to take the cup and (they communicating also themselves) to give
both to the communicants;1 but to
none who are not then present in
the congregation.2

WLC 169 How hath Christ appointed bread and wine to be
given and received in the sacrament of the Lord's supper?
A. Christ hath appointed the ministers of his word, in the administration of this sacrament of the
Lord's supper, to set apart the
bread and wine from common
use, by the word of institution,
thanksgiving, and prayer; to take
and break the bread, and to give
both the bread and the wine to the
communicants: who are, by the
same appointment, to take and eat
the bread, and to drink the wine,
in thankful remembrance that the
body of Christ was broken and
given, and his blood shed, for
them.1

WCF 29.4 Private masses, or receiving this sacrament by a priest,
or any other, alone,1 as likewise,
the denial of the cup to the people,2 worshipping the elements,
the lifting them up, or carrying
them about, for adoration, and the
reserving them for any pretended
religious use; are all contrary to
the nature of this sacrament, and
to the institution of Christ.3
1

1 Cor. 10:6
Mark 14:23; 1 Cor. 11:25-29
3
Matt. 15:9
2

WCF 29.5 The outward elements
in this sacrament, duly set apart
to the uses ordained by Christ,
have such relation to Him crucified, as that, truly, yet sacramentally only, they are sometimes
called by the name of the things
they represent, to wit, the body
and blood of Christ;1 albeit, in
substance and nature, they still
remain truly and only bread and
wine, as they were before.2
1
2

Matt. 26:26-28
1 Cor. 11:26, 27, 28; Matt. 26:29

WCF 29.6 That doctrine which
maintains a change of the sub-

1 Cor. 11:23, 24; Matt. 26:26-28; Mark
14:22-24; Luke 22:19, 20

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stance of bread and wine, into the
substance of Christ's body and
blood (commonly called transubstantiation) by consecration of a
priest, or by any other way, is repugnant, not to Scripture alone,
but even to common sense, and
reason; overthroweth the nature
of the sacrament, and hath been,
and is, the cause of manifold superstitions; yea, of gross idolatries.1
1

Acts 3:21 with 1 Cor. 11:24-26; Luke
24:6

WCF 29.7 Worthy receivers,
outwardly partaking of the visible
elements, in this sacrament,1 do
then also, inwardly by faith,
really and indeed, yet not carnally
and corporally but spiritually, receive, and feed upon, Christ crucified, and all benefits of His
death: the body and blood of
Christ being then, not corporally
or carnally, in, with, or under the
bread and wine; yet, as really, but
spiritually, present to the faith of
believers in that ordinance, as the
elements themselves are to their
outward senses.2
1
2

1 Cor. 11:28
1 Cor. 10:16

WLC 170 How do they that worthily communicate in the Lord's
supper feed upon the body and
blood of Christ therein?
A. As the body and blood of
Christ are not corporally or carnally present in, with, or under
the bread and wine in the Lord's
supper,1 and yet are spiritually
present to the faith of the receiver, no less truly and really
than the elements themselves are
to their outward senses;2 so they
that worthily communicate in the
sacrament of the Lord's supper,
do therein feed upon the body
and blood of Christ, not after a
corporal and carnal, but in a spiritual manner, yet truly and really,3
while by faith they receive and
apply unto themselves Christ crucified, and all the benefits of his
death.4
1

Acts 3:21
Matt. 26:26, 28
3
1 Cor. 11:24-29
4
1 Cor. 10:16
2

WCF 29.8 Although ignorant
and wicked men receive the outward elements in this sacrament;
yet, they receive not the thing
signified thereby; but, by their
unworthy coming thereunto, are
guilty of the body and blood of
the Lord, to their own damnation.
Wherefore, all ignorant and ungodly persons, as they are unfit to
enjoy communion with Him, so
are they unworthy of the Lord's

WSC 97 What is required to the
worthy receiving of the Lord's
supper?
A. It is required of them that
would worthily partake of the
Lord's supper, that they examine
themselves of their knowledge to
discern the Lord's body,1 of their
faith to feed upon him,2 of their
repentance,3 love,4 and new obedience;5 lest, coming unworthily,
they eat and drink judgment to

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1
2

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themselves.6

table and cannot, without great
sin against Christ, while they remain such, partake of these holy
mysteries,1 or be admitted thereunto.2

WLC 171 How are they that receive the sacrament of the Lord's
supper to prepare themselves before they come unto it?
A. They that receive the sacrament of the Lord's supper are, before they come, to prepare themselves thereunto, by examining
themselves1 of their being in
Christ,2 of their sins and wants;3
of the truth and measure of their
knowledge,4 faith,5 repentance;6
love to God and the brethren,7
charity to all men,8 forgiving
those that have done them
wrong;9 of their desires after
Christ,10 and of their new obedience,11 and by renewing the exercise of these graces,12 by serious
and
fervent
meditation,13
prayer.14
1

WLC 172 May one who doubteth of his being in Christ, or of
his due preparation, come to the
Lord's supper?
A. One who doubteth of his being
in Christ, or of his due preparation to the sacrament of the
Lord's supper, may have true interest in Christ, though he be not
yet assured thereof;1 and in God's
account hath it, if he be duly affected with the apprehension of

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155

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the want of it,2 and unfeignedly
desires to be found in Christ,3 and
to depart from iniquity:4 in which
case because promises are made,
and this sacrament is appointed,
for the relief even of weak and
doubting Christians5 he is to bewail his unbelief,6 and labour to
have his doubts resolved;7 and, so
doing, he may and ought to come
to the Lord's supper, that he may
be further strengthened.8
1

WLC 173 May any who profess
his faith, and desire to come to
the Lord's supper, be kept from
it?
A. Such as are found to be ignorant or scandalous, notwithstanding their profession of the faith,
and desire to come to the Lord's
supper, may and ought to be kept
from that sacrament, by the
power which Christ hath left in
his church,1 until they receive instruction and manifest their reformation.2
1

WLC 174 What is required of
them that receive the sacrament
of the Lord's supper in the time of
the administration of it?
A. It is required of them that receive the sacrament of the Lord's
supper, that, during the time of
the administration of it, with all
holy reverence and attention they
wait upon God in that ordinance,1
diligently observe the sacramental elements and actions,2 heedfully discern the Lord's body,3

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and affectionately meditate on his
death and sufferings,4 and
thereby stir up themselves to a
vigorous exercise of their graces;5
in judging themselves,6 and sorrowing for sin;7 in earnest hungering and thirsting after Christ,8
feeding on him by faith,9 receiving of his fulness,10 trusting in his
merits,11 rejoicing in his love,12
giving thanks for his grace;13 in
renewing of their covenant with
God,14 and love to all the saints.15
1

WLC 175 What is the duty of
Christians, after they have received the sacrament of the
Lord's supper?
A. The duty of Christians, after
they have received the sacrament
of the Lord's supper, is seriously
to consider how they have behaved themselves therein, and
with what success;1 if they find
quickening and comfort, to bless
God for it,2 beg the continuance
of it,3 watch against relapses,4
fulfill their vows,5 and encourage
themselves to a frequent attendance on that ordinance:6 but if
they find no present benefit, more
exactly to review their preparation to, and carriage at, the sacrament;7 in both which, if they
can approve themselves to God
and their own consciences, they
are to wait for the fruit of it in
due time:8 but, if they see they
have failed in either, they are to
be humbled,9 and to attend upon

WLC 176 Wherein do the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's
supper agree?
A. The sacraments of baptism
and the Lord's supper agree, in
that the author of both is God;1
the spiritual part of both is Christ
and his benefits,2 both are seals of
the same covenant,3 are to be dispensed by ministers of the gospel,
and by none other,4 and to be
continued in the church of Christ
until his second coming.5
1

WLC 177 Wherein do the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's
supper differ?
A. The sacraments of baptism
and the Lord's supper differ, in
that baptism is to be administered
but once, with water, to be a sign
and seal of our regeneration and
ingrafting into Christ,1 and that
even to infants;2 whereas the
Lord's supper is to be administered often, in the elements of
bread and wine, to represent and
exhibit Christ as spiritual nourishment to the soul,3 and to confirm our continuance and growth
in him,4 and that only to such as
are of years and ability to examine themselves.5
1

WCF 30.2 To these officers the
keys of the kingdom of heaven
are committed, by virtue whereof,
they have power, respectively, to
retain, and remit sins; to shut that
kingdom against the impenitent,
both by the Word, and censures;
and to open it unto penitent sinners, by the ministry of the Gospel; and by absolution from censures, an occasion shall require.1
1

Matt. 16:19; Matt. 18:17, 18; John 20:2123; 2 Cor. 2:6, 7, 8

WCF 30.3 Church censures are
necessary, for the reclaiming and
gaining of offending brethren, for
deterring of others from the like
offences, for purging out of that
leaven which might infect the
whole lump, for vindicating the
honour of Christ, and the holy
profession of the Gospel, and for
preventing the wrath of God,
which might justly fall upon the
Church, if they should suffer His
covenant, and the seals thereof, to
be profaned by notorious and obstinate offenders.1
1

WCF 30.4 For the better attaining of these ends, the officers of
the Church are to proceed by admonition; suspension from the
sacrament of the Lord's Supper
for a season; and by excommunication from the Church; according to the nature of the crime, and
demerit of the person.1
1

Confession of Faith
WCF 31.1 For the better government, and further edification
of the Church, there ought to be
such assemblies as are commonly
called synods or councils:1 [(the
American edition adds) and it belongeth to the overseers and other
rulers of the particular churches,
by virtue of their office, and the
power which Christ hath given
them for edification and not for
destruction, to appoint such assemblies;2 and to convene together in them, as often as they
shall judge it expedient for the
good of the Church.3]
1

1 Cor. 5 throughout; 1 Tim. 5:20; Matt.
7:6; 1 Tim. 1:20; 1 Cor. 11:27 to the
end; With Jude 23
2
Acts 15
3
Acts 15:22, 23, 25;
WCF 31.2 [(the American edition Omits
this section:) As magistrates may lawfully
call a synod of ministers, and other fit persons, to consult and advise with about
matters of religion;1 so if magistrates be
open enemies to the church, the ministers
of Christ, of themselves, by virtue of their
office, or they, with other fit persons upon
delegation from their churches, may meet
together in such assemblies.2]
1
Isa. 49:23; 1 Tim. 2:1, 2; 2 Chron. 19:8 to
the end; 2 Chron. 29 and 30 throughout;
Matt. 2:4, 5; Prov. 11:14
2
Acts 15:2, 4, 22, 25;

WCF 31.3[2] It belongeth to
synods and councils, ministerially
to determine controversies of
faith, and cases of conscience; to
set down rules and directions for
the better ordering of the public
worship of God, and government

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of His Church; to receive complaints in cases of maladministration, and authoritatively to determine the same: which decrees
and determinations, if consonant
to the Word of God, are to be received with, reverence and submission; not only for their agreement with the Word, but also for
the power whereby they are
made, as being an ordinance of
God appointed thereunto in His
Word.1
1

Acts 15:15, 19, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31;
Acts 16:4; Matt. 18:17-20

WCF 31.4[3] All synods or
councils, since the Apostles'
times, whether general or particular, may err; and many have
erred. Therefore they are not to
he made the rule of faith, or practice; but to be used as a help in
both.1
1

Eph. 2:20; Acts 17:11; 1 Cor. 2:5; 2 Cor.
1:24

WCF 31.5[4] Synods and councils are to handle, or conclude
nothing but that which is ecclesiastical: and are not to intermeddle
with civil affairs which concern
the common wealth, unless by
way of humble petition in cases
extraordinary; or, by way of advice, for satisfaction of conscience, if they be thereunto required by the civil magistrate.1
1

Luke 12:13,14; John 18:36

Notes

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Chapter Thirty Two:

Of the State of Man after
Death and of the Resurrection of the Dead
Confession of Faith Ch. 32; Larger Catechism 84-87; Shorter Catechism 37

Confession of Faith

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WLC 84 Shall all men die?
A. Death being threatened as the
wages of sin,1 it is appointed unto
all men once to die;2 for that all
have sinned.3
1

Rom. 6:23;
Heb. 9:27
3
Rom. 5:12
2

WCF 32.1 The bodies of men,
after death, return to dust, and see
corruption:1 but their souls,
which neither die nor sleep, having an immortal subsistence, immediately return to God who
gave them:2 the souls of the
righteous, being then made perfect of holiness, are received into
the highest heavens, where they
behold the face of God, in light
and glory, waiting for the full redemption of their bodies.3 And
the souls of the wicked are cast
into hell, where they remain in
torments and utter darkness, reserved to the judgment of the
great day.4 Beside these two
places, for souls separated from
their bodies, the Scripture acknowledgeth none.

WLC 85 Death, being the wages
of sin, why are not the righteous
delivered from death, seeing all
their sins are forgiven in Christ?
A. The righteous shall be delivered from death itself at the last
day and even in death are delivered from the sting and curse of
it;1 so that, although they die, yet
it is out of God's love,2 to free
them perfectly from sin and misery,3 and to make them capable of
further communion with Christ,
in glory, which they then enter
upon.4
1

in glory with Christ, which the
members of the invisible church
enjoy immediately after death?
A. The communion in glory with
Christ, which the members of the
invisible church enjoy immediately after death, is, in that their
souls are then made perfect in holiness,1 and received into the
highest heavens,2 where they behold the face of God in light and
glory,3 waiting for the full redemption of their bodies,4 which
even in death continue united to
Christ,5 and rest in their graves as
in their beds,6 [BP Version: till at
the return of Christ they are again
united to their souls7 and live and
reign with him upon the earth a
thousand years. Whereas the
souls of the wicked are at their
death cast into hell, where they
remain in torments and utter
darkness, and their bodies kept in
their graves, as in their prisons,
until the resurrection and judgment of ungodly men,8 after the
millennial reign of Christ.] [Origi-

lievers receive from Christ at
death? A The souls of believers
are at their death made perfect in
holiness,1 and do immediately
pass into glory;2 and their bodies,
being still united in Christ,3 do
rest in their graves,4 till the resurrection.5

nal: till at the last day they be again united
to their souls.7 Whereas the souls of the
wicked are at their death cast into hell,
where they remain in torments and utter
darkness, and their bodies kept in their
graves, as in their prisons, till the resurrection and judgment of the great day.8 ]
1
Heb. 12:23
2
2 Cor. 5:1, 6, 8; Phil. 1:23 compared with
Acts 3:21 and Eph. 4:10
3
1 John 3:2; 1 Cor. 13:12
4
Rom. 8:23; Ps. 16:9
5
1 Thess. 4:14
6
Isa. 57:2
7
Job 19:26, 27
8
Luke 16:23, 24; Acts 1:25; Jude 6, 7

WCF 32.2 [BP Version: At the
return of Christ such living persons as our found in him shall not
die but be changed:1 and all the
dead in Christ shall be raised up,
with the self-same bodies, and
none other, although with different qualities, which shall be
united again to their souls for
ever.2 ]
1
2

1 Thess. 4:17; 1 Cor. 15:51, 52
Job 19:26, 27; 1 Cor. 15:42-44

WLC 87 What are we to believe
concerning the resurrection?
[BP Version:
A. We are to believe, that there
shall be a resurrection of the
dead, both of the just and the unjust: when Christ returns the just
that are then found alive shall in a
moment be changed; and the selfsame bodies of the dead in Christ
which are laid in the grave, being

[Original Version: At the last day, such as
are found alive shall not die, but be
changed:1 and all the dead shall be raised
up, with the self-same bodies, and none
other (although with different qualities),
which shall be united again to their souls
for ever.2 ]

then again united to their souls
forever, shall be raised up by the
power of Christ. The bodies of
the just, by the Spirit of Christ,
and by virtue of his resurrection
as their head, shall be raised in
power, spiritual, and incorruptible, and made like to his glorious
body in the first resurrection.
The bodies of the wicked shall,
after a thousand years, be raised
up in dishonor by him as an offended judge in the second resurrection.]

WCF 32.3 [BP Version: The
bodies of the unjust shall, after a
thousand years, be raised by the
power of God to dishonour.1 ]
1

Acts 24:15; John 5:28, 29; 1 Cor. 15:43;
Philip. 3:21
[Original Version: The bodies of the unjust shall, by the power of Christ, be
raised to dishonour: the bodies of the just,
by His Spirit, unto honour; and be made
conformable to His own glorious body.1 ]

1

Acts 24:15
1 Cor. 15:51-53; 1 Thess. 4:15-17; John
5:28, 29
3
1 Cor. 15:21-23, 42-44; Phil. 3:21
4
John 5:27-29; Matt. 25:33
[Original: A. We are to believe, that at the
last day there shall be a general resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust:1 when they that are then found alive
shall in a moment be changed; and the
self-same bodies of the dead which were
laid in the grave, being then again united
to their souls for ever, shall be raised up
by the power of Christ.2 The bodies of the
just, by the Spirit of Christ, and by virtue
of his resurrection as their head, shall be
raised in power, spiritual, incorruptible,
and made like to his glorious body;3 and
the bodies of the wicked shall be raised up
in dishonour by him, as an offended
judge.4 ]
2

WCF 33.1 God hath appointed a
day, [BP Adds: (which word in
Scripture in reference to the last
things may represent a period of
time including the thousand years
following the visible, personal
and pre-millennial return of
Christ)], wherein He will judge
the world in righteousness by Jesus Christ,1 to whom all power
and judgement is given of the Father.2 In which day, not only the
apostate angels shall be judged,3
but likewise all persons that have
lived upon earth shall appear before the tribunal of Christ, to give
an account of their thoughts,
words, and deeds; and to receive
according to what they have done
in the body, whether good or
evil.4

WLC 88 What shall immediately
follow after the resurrection?
[BP Version:
A. Immediately after the second
resurrection shall follow the final
judgment of angels and men;1 the
destruction of the earth by fire,
and the ushering in of the new
heaven and the new earth
wherein dwelleth righteousness.]
1

2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6, 7, 14, 15; Matt. 25:46
Matt. 24:36, 42, 44; Luke 21:35, 36
[Original: A. Immediately after the resurrection shall follow the general and final
judgment of angels and men;1 the day and
hour whereof no man knoweth, that all
may watch and pray, and be ever ready for
the coming of the Lord.2 ]
2

WCF 33.2 The end of God's appointing this day is for the manifestation of the glory of His
mercy, in the eternal salvation of
the elect; and of His justice, in
the damnation of the reprobate,
who are wicked and disobedient.
For then shall the righteous go
into everlasting life, and receive
that fulness of joy and refreshing,
which shall come from the presence of the Lord; but the wicked
who know not God, and obey not
the Gospel of Jesus Christ, shall
be cast into eternal torments, and

WLC 89 What shall be done to
the wicked [BP Version: after
their resurrection] [Original: at the
day of judgment]?

A. [BP Version: After their resurrection] [Original: At the day of judgment], the wicked shall be [BP
Version: judged] [set on Christ's left
1
hand], and, upon clear evidence,
and full conviction of their own
consciences,2 shall have the fearful but just sentence of condemnation pronounced against them;3
and thereupon shall be cast out
from the favourable presence of
God, and the glorious fellowship

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be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the
Lord, and from the glory of His
power.1

with Christ, his saints, and all his
holy angels, into hell, to be punished with unspeakable torments,
both of body and soul, with the
devil and his angels for ever.4

[BP Version
WLC 90 What shall be done to
the righteous after their resurrection?
A. After the resurrection, the
righteous, being caught up to
Christ in the clouds; shall be
openly acknowledged and acquitted: shall join with him in the
millennial reign, and the judging
of reprobate men and angels: and
shall be received into heaven,
where they shall be fully and forever freed from all sin and misery; filled with inconceivable
joys; made perfectly holy and
happy both in body and soul, in
the company of innumerable
saints and angels; but especially
in the immediate vision and fruition of God the Father, of our
Lord Jesus Christ, and of the
Holy Spirit, to all eternity. And
this is the perfect and full communion, which the members of
the invisible Church shall enjoy
with Christ in glory, at the resurrection day and judgement.]
[Original
WLC 90 What shall be done to the righteous at the day of judgment?
A. At the day of judgment, the righteous,
being caught up to Christ in the clouds,1
shall be set on his right hand, and there
openly acknowledged and acquitted,2 shall
join with him in the judging of reprobate
angels and men,3 and shall be received
into heaven,4 where they shall be fully and
for ever freed from all sin and misery;5
filled with inconceivable joys,6 made perfectly holy and happy both in body and
soul, in the company of innumerable
saints and holy angels,7 but especially in
the immediate vision and fruition of God
the Father, of our Lord Jesus Christ, and
of the Holy Spirit, to all eternity.8 And this
is the perfect and full communion, which
the members of the invisible church shall

WSC 38 What benefits do believers receive from Christ at the
resurrection?
A. At the resurrection, believers
being raised up in glory,1 shall be
openly acknowledged and acquitted in the day of judgment,2 and
made perfectly blessed in the full
enjoying of God3 to all eternity.4
1

WCF 33.3 As Christ would have
us to be certainly persuaded that
there shall be a day of judgment,
both to deter all men from sin;
and for the greater consolation of
the godly in their adversity:1 so
will He have that day unknown to
men, that they may shake off all
carnal security, and be prepared
to say, Come Lord Jesus, come
quickly, Amen.2
1